Of Blood and Thunder
by thundertwins18
Summary: At age twenty-four, the Thundertwins' future meets an uncertain crossroad fueled by the struggle between family, evil, and a long kept secret. Will Phoebe hang up her cape for good? Will Dark Mayhem finally be destroyed? And more importantly - will Max and Phoebe face what they've denied for years? (Max/Phoebe pairing. Some language/situations. Intended for older readers.)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

:: Phoebe ::

ALERT ALERT

| MAX THUNDERMAN APPROACHING |

"Again? Are you kidding me? You're not kidding me. You never kid," Phoebe whined at the Thundermonitor as it flashed the warning before starting its descent back into the stand. She glanced around the room, a mad glint in her brown eyes. Even though she knew it was coming, she jumped. He always knew. She didn't know how he did it, but he just _did_.

"Phoebe?"

"Uh-just going totakeoutthetrash! Berightthere!" she yelled out towards the ceiling, the words merging together in her panic. Counting the seconds she had before potential drama ensued, she quickly ran across the room, its mix of light grey walls and dark grey furnishings clashing with the brightly clothed twenty-something throwing herself at the front door. Phoebe flung open the door just as the person on the other side was in the process of pushing it open without even knocking. Without hesitation, she grabbed the front of her brother's t-shirt and with one swift, practiced motion, pushed them both outside.

"Hello."

Max smirked, folding his arms as he leaned against a porch pillar. He was unphased with his sister's greeting. Phoebe frowned.

"What is it this time?"

"That's not the way to greet your favorite guest," Max said smoothly. Phoebe watched his left leg cross over his right, his entire weight resting on the pillar. A light breeze ruffled his impeccable brown swoosh. Phoebe was pretty sure he was never going to change his hairstyle.

"It's the third time today," Phoebe explained, blowing hard at a wayward strand of her long hair.

Okay, so maybe both of them were creatures of hair-habit.

"I just got intel that Grappling Girl's going to hit Hiddenville tonight and mess with the water supply."

"Source?"

Phoebe watched as Max slid his phone out of his jeans. He tapped at the screen and held it out to her. She studied the picture of the Hiddenville Water Tower with an overlay of red text that simply said…

TONIGHT.

"Seriously Max? If you think that I'm going to believe that…"

"I intercepted the message. I tapped into the Villain League network and got the message Grappling Girl thought she was sending to Dark Mayhem," Max tugged his phone out of Phoebe's grasp.

"But why-"

"Why do you have to always ask that? It's not just you that has intel."

"I didn't say it was just me! It's just that it's become a habit-"

"A habit that I'm working?!"

"Max-"

"You again?"

The twins turned towards the door they hadn't heard open. Phoebe took a step back. Max took a step forward, his eyes narrowing.

"Keegan."

"Maximus."

The two men simply stared at each other, the mutual dislike oppressively filling the small space. They were a perfect representation of polar opposites. Max Thunderman's dark hair, brown eyes, perpetual five o'clock shadow and muscular build sharply contrasted with the blonde hair, light blue-gray eyes, alabaster skin, and tall lanky frame of Keegan Oostergooster.

It was Keegan who broke the silence.

"I'm a patient guy Max," he said, his tone trying, but failing miserably, at having a 'bro' tone. "But you've got to stop this."

Max's laugh came out a bark. The casual stance from earlier was long gone. "You have no idea what you're talking about Roosterbooster."

"Max-" Phoebe warned. She grabbed his arm, but he shook it off. Keegan just smiled tightly.

"I know you're having a hard time with the fact that you're still living in your mommy and daddy's basement with your ittle-rabbit," he said, practically sing-songing the words. "But Phoebe's got a life. You can't just visit anytime you want."

Max's eyes burned with rage. His mouth opened and closed several times. A red flush of heat crept up his neck. His body shook as if flinging off the words.

"Yes I can," he spat back. "Unfortunately for you, Phoebe and I are a team. We've got a job to do. I'm on work bus-iness," he enunciated.

This was what Phoebe had been dreading. The tension was thick. She stared at the doorbell. She knew it was going to happen. The train was derailing. Here it was. She couldn't stop it. _Thundergirl_ couldn't stop what was about to-

"Phoebe and I have had a long talk about this, Max. She's decided to hang up her _cape_ ," Keegan said, landing on the last word as if it left a bitter taste on his tongue.

The silence this time was a million times worse than any other silence before it. Phoebe could feel Max's eyes swivel towards her. He was willing her to look at him. She could almost feel him in her _brain_. Their twin connection was crumbling her resolve, but she couldn't. She couldn't look at him. _Won't, won't, won't!_

"Pheebs, you can't be serious."

 _Won't, won't, won't._

"Pheebs, look at me."

The pleading hit her ears and the wall shattered. With tears in her eyes, she looked at him. The plead was right there...right there swimming in channels of chocolate-y brown.

"Phoebe, tell him."

"Max-" her voice caught. She didn't have to continue. The pained look on her face gave it away, she knew it. She took a step towards her brother.

"It's really the best thing for everyone," Keegan said. He sounded so far away. Phoebe kept staring at Max, watching as the truth sunk in.

"This is what you want?" he choked out. "You'd give up everything for him? Your dreams? Our dreams?"

Her breath came out a long succession of shuddery air. She closed her eyes. A million snapshots of life flew by in a second. Evil Max. Villain League. Hero League. Thundertwins. Z-Force.

"Max, I'm his _wife_ ," Phoebe finally whispered.

"And you need to get a _life_ ," Keegan added gleefully. Phoebe saw Max turn back towards her husband. For a fleeting second, she imagined Max roundhouse kicking him into next week. Her body tensed as if preparing for needed response to impending attack.

But no response was needed. Max stepped back, shoving his hands in his pockets. He backed down the stairs, his eyes not leaving the porch floor.

"Mistake, Pheebs," he said thickly. "I told you before it was a mistake and I'm telling you now…"

Phoebe willed him to look-up. His shoulders lifted and he pulled his hand out of his right pocket, withdrawing his keys. Her heart plummeted at the thought of saying good-bye. The keys fell out of his hand, but Max scooped and grabbed them before they hit the ground. The phrase was on the tip of her tongue...

"No," he said, smirking at the cement. For a split second she wondered if she had said good-bye aloud, but a quick glance at Keegan's confused face confirmed to her that she hadn't.

"It's just later," he assured. Phoebe opened her mouth to say - what, she didn't know - but before she could, he was in his car, the sleek black number that he had bought after taking down half the Villain League with her the last year of college. She still remembered the first ride with the top down, screaming at him to slow down. She watched helplessly as he peeled down the street, trails of smoke from the clash of tires spinning on road sweeping towards her.

"Well, that went well," Keegan said. His arm wrapped around her shoulders and his lips pressed into her hair.

"I'm proud of you," he said gently. He pressed his fingers into her upper arm, turning her towards the house. Phoebe glanced back at the deserted road.

She had never felt less proud.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

:: Max ::

"...so is this a bad time to ask if you picked up the carrots from the store?"

Max didn't answer. He couldn't. He sat at the end of the bed staring at nothing, his hands threading through his hair. For once, he didn't care that he was completely damaging every swoosh particle.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not now, Colosso."

The room got silent - or as silent as a room with a heavy-breathing rabbit could be. Max focused on the feeling of the blood pounding in his ears. It was like a parade of drums. His fingers dug into his scalp. He wasn't sure how long he sat like that. When he could take it no more, he fell back onto the mattress.

"What am I doing Colosso?" he finally asked, his words floating towards the ceiling. There was a snuffle and a rustle of rabbit bedding.

"DId I miss something?" his best friend asked. "What's going on with you? I haven't seen you in this shape since...well since prom when you went completely dark and evil."

Max laughed dryly. "Yeah, maybe I should have just stuck with that."

"Max, as much as the thought of us being the world's best supervillain duo of all time excites me, you're one of the best superheroes of all time. You just ran around here shouting it at the top of your lungs yesterday. And the day before. And the day be—"

"I get it."

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

Max let out a breath of heat just for the fun of it. His fist pounded into the mattress. "Nora just left for college, Billy's the owner of the most popular chain of running shoes in the country and lives three houses down from Blobbin, and Phoebe's off playing housewife to Oober-doober."

Max heard the sound of Colosso's cage open. Suddenly his friend was up by his ear, his whiskers tickling his cheek. "So what?"

He turned to face the ball of fur. "So where am I? I'm still living with mom and dad. My last date was playing at Splatburger with the guys for the band reunion when they were all back in town. My last date with a girl was a year ago. I'm a loser."

"You're not a loser! You have me!"

Max and Colosso stared at each other. The bunny sighed.

"You obviously had a really good time over at your sister's house."

"She quit."

Colosso's head spun so fast that tufts of fur went airborne. "She what?"

Max closed his eyes. A million memories floated across his mind like a slideshow. Phoebe constantly believing in him. His turn to the dark side. His turn to the right side of justice. All the hours of training. Evil Phoebe. Long nights studying for college exams (well, watching Phoebe study while eating pizza and playing Exploding Kittens with Cherry). All the supervillains they helped put behind bars. Their stupid twin victory dance…

"She quit," Max said thickly. He was about to cry. He was a twenty-four year old guy about to start crying in front of his bunny.

He really _was_ pathetic.

"B-b-but, she can't quit!" Colosso said, shaking his head side to side. His range of emotion was limited, but even Max was surprised at the panic. It distracted him from crying.

"Why do you care so much?"

At the question, Colosso stopped. He suddenly took interest in the bank of computer monitors.

"I'm just emoting your pain," he said evasively. "We're bros like that."

Max propped himself up on an elbow. "Colosso," he warned. "Do you know something?"

"I know not a thingy-dingy."

Max grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. Colosso's paws flailed in the air. "OKAY! OKAY! Just put me dow-oomph!"

The door to his cage swung shut behind him. It took the plump bunny a second to turn around.

"For that, I shouldn't tell you."

"But you will."

Colosso couldn't deny it. There was nothing he cared for more in the world than Max. Except maybe steak.

He did _love_ a good steak.

"Grappling Girl isn't working alone tonight. She's bringing some new extreme supervillain with her. Goes by the name of Twilight Inferno. Rumor has it that Inferno is going to officially replace Dark Mayhem. He's getting old and he's been caught by you and Phoebe more times than he would ever admit."

For a second, Max's pulse quickened like it always did when he received new intel. Then he remembered. Not that he had forgot. He sank back down on the edge of his bed and resumed tugging at his scalp. "I-I don't _care_."

"Max, you've got to care! This could mean disaster for Hiddenville. If Phoebe's quit that means you're this city's only hope."

Max snorted. "C'mon let's be honest. It's only because of her that I've gotten this far. I'm a joke."

"If I could get out of this cage, I'd paw-slap you," Colosso said coldly. "Don't you get it? Phoebe won't let you down tonight. Did you show her the picture?"

"I showed her."

"She's not going to be able to skip a takedown. Her sense of responsibility is unrealistically high."

Max snorted. He couldn't argue the point. Even so, his stomach turned. The look on her face…

"I swear he's got to be a vampire or something, Colosso."

"I don't know what she sees in him. At least Link was somewhat cute and a supe. What superhero marries a guy that hates anything that could come out of a comic book? More importantly, who marries a guy who's allergic to bunnies?"

They were all questions Max had replayed a thousand times. Well, except for the bunny allergy. "Everything checks out that he really is a non-supe, but I know in my gut that there's a secret there. Colosso, the dude is a douche."

"He's brainwashed her."

"No, he hasn't brainwashed her," Max sighed. "That would have been an easy fix."

"Well, it could have been-"

"We're not talking about it."

"I know we _don't_ , but the timing isn't coincidental. You both ra-"

"Unless you want me to start carrying around a rabbit's foot, we're going to stop talking."

Colosso didn't answer. Max felt a split second of remorse for his empty threat and then retracted the remorse when his mind went to that night. He blinked rapidly, desperate to erase the crystal clear play-by-play happening in his mind's eye.

"MAX! DINNER!"

"Great, I'll go have dinner with mommy, daddy, and Chloe and then go fight a new supervillain," Max said dryly. "Goodie." He stood up and grabbed his bag. Before hitting the bottom step, he flipped open the top and rooted around. Without turning around, he sent a bunch of fresh carrots sailing towards Colosso.

"You _DO_ love me!" Colosso squealed. Max almost smiled and then stopped. The word love wasn't exactly his favorite word at the moment.

Actually, it was far from it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

:: Phoebe ::

11:31 pm

11:32 pm

11:33 pm

Keegan spent exactly seven minutes brushing his teeth.

Max was more of a spit-and-go type of guy.

Keegan's hair would be damp, fresh from the shower.

Max perfected the 'day old gel, just rolled out of bed, I'll-shower-in-the-morning (maybe)' look.

 _Max_.

She shouldn't be thinking about Max. She especially shouldn't be thinking about Max fighting Grappling Girl at the top of the water tower. After all, she wasn't really sure that it was even a legitimate plot.

Phoebe grabbed her phone, turning the camera on herself. She ran a finger along her teeth, flipping her hair over her shoulder and then back again. She puckered her lips. She was wearing a flimsy little nightgown. It was the perfect thing for a newlywed to wear.

"Could you turn on the rainforest sounds?"

"What?"

"Rainforest sounds?"

Phoebe blinked in confusion and looked around. Finally, the speaker on the nightstand triggered understanding. She pressed a button and the sound of tree frogs floated through the room. She sank back against her pillow as the most obnoxious bird she'd ever heard screeched at non-lullaby inducing decibels.

"Fantastic. Be out in a minute, gorgeous."

"Can't wait!" Phoebe called over a howler monkey. She turned the large diamond on her left hand a full rotation.

Phoebe had officially been Phoebe Oostergooster for six and a half weeks. Nothing had gone smoothly. The wedding was a fiasco she couldn't bring herself to replay. Her all-expenses paid honeymoon to Australia had been infiltrated by the Villain League. It had taken the entire Thunderman family to get _that_ fiasco under control and it had taken almost a week before Super President Kick-Butt triple-confirmed they had caught every last villain.

Yeah, that's right. She had spent the majority of her honeymoon with her family.

As what sounded like a lizard's tongue lapping a tree came through the bedside speaker, she thought of that night in Sydney Harbor. The last villain had just been flung out of the boat, catapulted to the Hero League submarine waiting to pull him in below, just as a dazzling display of Friday Night Fireworks came from east of the Opera House.

It was just her and Max.

 _"Remember when I put together the fireworks for our class project?" Max whispered in her ear. She smiled._

 _"How could I forget? You spelled out PHOEBE SMELLS LIKE A WET DONKEY."_

 _Max just laughed, throwing an arm around her shoulders. The sleeve of his wetsuit was ripped to shreds. She leaned into him and glanced at his profile. A droplet of water clung to his eyelash._

 _"Actually," he said, his eyes locked on the sky. "They really said "Phoebe IS A MULE. You were a pretty big jackass for teaching me a good lesson. I just thought smelling like a wet donkey would make you madder."_

 _She watched him swallow, his Adam's apple bobbing. She swung her eyes to the sky and clasped her hands in front of her. "You were right."_

 _They both continued to watch the show. Max's arm tightened around her. Phoebe's throat tightened. She was struck that this particular moment was perhaps the most perfect moment she would experience on her honeymoon._

 _And it wasn't with her husband._

 _"Max-"_

 _"We can't avoid it forever. I don't want to avoid it."_

 _"I-"_

But she had been able to avoid it. Just then, just as a dazzling array of multi-colored streaks filled the inky sky, Mom and Dad pulled up beside them in their own boat, Nora, Billy, and Chloe sitting together, looking exhausted, but proud. Dad was grinning ear to ear. Max yanked his arm away.

"THUNDERMANS!"

11:58 pm

Max would certainly be staking out the water tower. Most schemes went down around midnight.

Phoebe closed her eyes. He would be fine without her. Grappling Girl wasn't a genius mastermind by any stretch of the imagination. Actually, she was sure the entire Hero League would be more than fine without her. Dark Mayhem was far from the evil genius he was in his younger days. No other villain in his league had stepped up as a possible replacement. They all were barely a step above the evil that Max exhibited during his bad phase.

 _Max_.

"Hello my Missus."

The bed dipped. Some unidentified animal made a noise that sounded like it was going to rip her limb from limb. Phoebe's eyes flew open and she sprung forward off her pillow just in time for her forehead to make full contact with Keegan's lower jaw.

"SON OF A-"

"I'M SORRY!"

"SHIT, AM I BLEEDING?"

Phoebe's voice came out small. "A _little_?"

She was a horrible liar. He lowered his hand and blood spilled out over his bottom lip. Her thick skull had broken through his tender seven-minute brushed gums.

Before she could say anything else, the look on her face must have told Keegan all he needed to know. He slid off the bed and ran back to the bathroom.

The minute the door closed, Phoebe released a breath she didn't even realize she was holding.

12:03 am

12:04 am

The water turned on in the bathroom just as the rainforest track settled on the much better 'waterfall' segment. The relaxing tones were interrupted by a series of forceful spits.

12:10 am

Phoebe slid out of bed. She stopped at the bathroom door for just a second before her feet propelled her onward. The lace of her nightgown brushed the back of her legs. She yanked open the closet door, her heart pounding.

12:12 am

Keegan finally emerged from the bathroom. Smiling around a piece of cotton stuck in his mouth, he opened his arms.

"All better. Now where were w- _Phoebe_?"

He looked around in confusion. The curtain swayed from the breeze coming in through the empty window.

She was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

:: Max ::

It was 12:10 am when Max spotted Grappling Girl on top of the water tower. His left butt cheek had been asleep for half an hour and a bird kept trying to take part of his hair for its nest. A splotch of red from the thorn of a nearby rose bush splayed across his cheek.

"This is it," he whispered out loud. He was so used to doing so that it took him a second to realize no one was there to hear.

He was solo.

From behind Grappling Girl, who had already sunk one of her grapples into the tower, came a taller figure in a cloak. The cloak shielded the villains face, but the flames imbeded into the fabric provided a faint glow that illuminated the scene.

Max rolled out of the bushes, crouching and keeping his eyes trained on the tower. He pulled out his newest invention, the Fling-Beam 8400 (named after its much less effective grandfather, the 7400) and aimed it upwards.

The beam of light sent him propelling upward towards his destination. For a split second, he thought he heard his name, but then it was gone. He landed quietly in a blind spot of the tower. He leaned forward, his body wanting to jump in, but his training telling him to wait and see what he could learn.

"This is going to be quick," Grappling Girl cackled. "With their first drink, shower, or instant oatmeal tomorrow morning, the entire town will be under our control!"

"You mean _my_ control."

Goosebumps ran up Max's arms. That voice…

"I'm doing all the work!"

"Here, perhaps, but you forget that the most important part of the plan comes at the water treatment plant."

The laugh that followed was cold, but not unfamiliar. Max couldn't wait a second longer.

"STOP!"

He jumped from out of the shadows, hands on hips. His cape flew towards him annoyingly, but he'd learned a long time ago that he looked like an idiot batting it away. Doing so also gave the enemy time to attack.

"Twilight Inferno, it's the Thundertwins!" Grappling Girl shouted. She was covered in water from the hole she had made in the side of the tower. In her hand was a small vial of purple liquid.

"Finish pouring the serum," the cloaked figure commanded.

"Don't you dare touch that tower!"

Max took a step forward and almost slipped. The entire catwalk was slick from the water. The cloaked figure looked completely untroubled. Grappling Girl turned back towards her mission.

Without hesitation, Max began his twist around the villain blocking him. None of them had ever been able to figure out his zig versus his zag.

Until now.

He connected with a pointed black boot. It slid onto his chest, knocking him back, and pinning him down onto the wet metal.

"Has Maxy-T lost his twin?"

Max's throat went dry. He knew he could easily do a backbend and break loose. He stared up, trying to see the face beyond the hood.

"Who are you?"

"It's done!" Grappling Girl squealed."I did it!" Max heard her clappping for herself.

Supervillains had gigantic egos.

Two hands went to the sides of the black fabric. Slowly the hood dipped down. An attractive cascade of brunette and red curls surrounded the all-too familiar face. Brownish eyes tinged with red crinkled in the corners as the face broke into a seductive smile.

"It is a pity you didn't stay on the dark side."

" _Phoebe_?"

"Twilight Inferno to you, Romeo. Why don't you come with us?"

"STOP!"

Max's eyes rolled back at the sound of hands slapping the wet surface and the creak of the rusty metal ladder. "What the—-"

It was impossible. Phoebe, dressed head to toe in her _Thundergirl_ suit let out a gasp as she caught her breath and rolled inelegantly onto the platform.

"Long way up," she panted as she got on all fours, her face hovering above his. "Thanks for stopping for me down there."

"That was you?"

"Who else would it be? My clone?"

Phoebe laughed at her joke, but Max finally sprung into action. With a backbend and twist, he broke free of the boot that had anchored him down.

"We're done here!"

Max saw Phoebe finally take in the situation and for a split second regretted he couldn't take a moment to snap a picture of her face.

"How—"

"Go!"

With a twist of black leathery fabric that felt too much like scorching hot bird skin, Twilight Inferno seemed to disappear. Max and Phoebe were left staring at Grappling Girl. She let out a tiny squeak.

The takedown went like most takedowns of late went. Grappling Girl turned to run, but Max and Phoebe were one step ahead and much better at running on wet surfaces. Max grabbed her arms as Phoebe shot the villain with her freeze breath. Max let the perp fall face first back onto the landing. For once, Phoebe didn't lecture him about enforcement infractures. Instead, he felt her hand lock in a death grip on his bicep.

"Max, she looked like me. Me when Dark Mayhem turned me evil."

"Tell me about it," Max said. He held up a finger. "No, actually why don't you tell me why you're here? I thought you _quit_?"

Max scowled. Phoebe sighed. "I figured I'd start my quitting tomorrow."

"You are _such_ a liar."

"Me? Phoebe Thunderman doesn't know how to lie."

"Yes, but does Phoebe Oostergooster know how?"

"Max—"

"Seriously, we escaped being McBoogers and you go and Oostergooster yourself?"

"Max—"

Max clamped a hand to her mouth. A tiny spark flew from his palm and both twins winced even though there was no pain. Quickly, he dropped his hand and spun his sister around and pointed.

"There. The water treatment plant. This was just step one. We've got to go after Inferno. There's no time to waste."

It was a rare occasion when Phoebe didn't look excited for a takedown. Max figured it might be due to the fact they were practically chasing after herself. He was sure that this next battle would be a lot tougher than the first. He was also mostly certain that under that flaming leathery cape would be a head to toe leather suit.

He was _doomed_.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

:: Phoebe ::

As she raced behind Max to the water treatment plant, Phoebe kept replaying it over and over.

Twilight Inferno was her.

But not her.

But a her that looked like her.

Except, had she _really_ looked that badass when she was evil? Experience had taught her that being evil didn't mean you automatically looked hot. Her most heinous evildoer encounters were with men and women who looked like they had hit the bargain rack at the Halloween shop. The jokes about Dark Mayhem's choice of evil suit kept the Hero League in stitches for days. But then again, Max hadn't looked bad in his world annihilation paintball-esque ensemble. He had been mostly pathetic at being evil, but he hadn't looked bad...ridiculously amazing, actually. Black really was a good color on the two of them…

"Earth to Phoebe!"

Max hissed so hard little droplets of spit landed on her earlobe. She swatted at her side in annoyance. " _What_?!"

"Down here."

Max didn't wait for an answer. He was already halfway down a pipe that led to the underground portion of the plant. In the last eight years, they must have stopped about five or six of Dark Mayhem's plots to drug the water supply. This was becoming a routine.

"Ugh, sludge," Phoebe bemoaned. She scooped up her hair, securing it back in a ponytail. Grabbing the sides of the pipe, she pushed herself after the caped crusader in front of her.

With a wide kick, Max landed perfectly, swinging around a vertical warning sign (Keep Dry - never jump in the water supply!) as a grand finale of showing off. Phoebe landed on her tailbone. The pain matched the throb in her forehead where it had connected with Keegan's face.

Tonight was _not_ her night.

A hand shot out and she grabbed for it. Max hauled her to her feet with a crooked smile.

"I'm glad you're here," he whispered. Phoebe couldn't help it. She smiled back.

"Me too."

The sound of rushing water interrupted the superhero team's moment. Focusing back on the task at hand, they crept along the wall, keeping their eyes trained for anything unusual.

Every other time they had stopped this particular plan, the villain of choice was always at the last elbow junction of the supply before it exited the building and back towards the city. It was the fastest way to do the job.

"Apparently her IQ is a notch above the others," Max mused as they found the spot empty. They both looked around. Max lifted his head and squinted, his head tilting to the side. Following his line of sight, Phoebe noticed a wave of fabric streak around above them on the scaffold.

"I'm on it!"

Before she could react, Max had his new toy (er, gadget) out and was riding the light towards the spot.

"Max!" Phoebe hissed, careful not to be too loud lest she give him away. She slapped her hands against her legs and looked for the nearest ladder.

"My calves are going to be moo-ing in the morning," she said to herself as she began climbing once more.

As she ascended, sounds above her told her that a struggle was going on. She sped up, her fingers digging into each rung, but Max had a huge head start. As she clamored towards the top, she nailed an awesome leap up and sprung to full height, her arms poised and ready for action.

Inferno had Max pinned. That wasn't necessarily unusual - Max had a bad habit of letting the lady villains get one over on him. Yet, what was unusual was that Phoebe could see that he wasn't struggling to at least fight out of the pin. Inferno was hovering over him, closing in fast, and he seemed frozen.

Phoebe took in a lot of random details at once. The black cloak was pierced through on a rusted nail, flapping even though the air was still. Every few seconds a flame would shoot out of it and send a deadly wave of heat piercing down to the floor below. Without the cloak, the villainness was packed into a leather bodysuit - one that was incredibly familiar to Phoebe (and would still fit her if she skipped the next two 'I scream, Hank screams, we all scream for ice cream!' Thunderman family nights). She looked as if she was talking to Max, but Phoebe couldn't make out the words. Her hands went to the sides of Max's face and tilted his chin upwards.

It was like an out of body experience even though it wasn't her body. She almost forgot to breathe, knowing what was going to come next. The parting lips, the light scent of pizza sauce mixed with the fragrance of the league's best wine...their noses touching first…the shuddery breath...

Better than the fake Tarzan yell on Keegan's rainforest soundtrack, the war cry escaped Phoebe's lungs and rent the air. Her hands grabbed fistfuls of her doppelgängers hair and she felt both their bodies sail over Max and land shoulder-to-shoulder against a grate trap. The floor flew away as the trap swung open and they both scrambled for safer footing.

"That's not a good look for you Phoebe Thunderman," Twilight Inferno said. She wasn't the least bit out of breath. They both crouched down in identical fighting positions.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Phoebe shouted, proud that the shout masked her own breathlessness. (She really needed to start her 4 am workouts again.)

"Can't leave him alone for a second? No wonder he can't keep a girlfriend."

Phoebe's reply was a roundhouse kick that ended in two strong hands gripping her foot. She hopped in place, grabbing for the railing behind her. Feeling it secure in her grip, she allowed her body to twist up, her other foot connecting with Inferno's side.

"Heathen!" Inferno shrieked. Phoebe felt nails grip into her side and she squatted down, tucking her head for the blow.

But it didn't come. Instead, there was a shriek.

"Would people stop talking about my love life today?!" Max yelled. With a simple point of his fingers, he sent Twilight Inferno sliding across the catwalk.

"Watch out!"

Max may not have been ready, but Phoebe sensed it right as it happened. Right on impact, Inferno blew a wave of heat their way. Max flung across the walkway right, Phoebe left. The right side was the better choice. The left gave way and Phoebe felt gravity yanking her body down to the ground.

"HE—-"

She didn't get the word out before feeling her body jerk upwards. Ever so gently, her body straightened and she landed easily. She looked up just as Max looked down, fingers perfectly in control, brain trained on keeping her alive . She dusted metal powder from the broken railing off her legs.

"Thanks."

"Anytime."

"Watch out!"

Max kicked out just as Inferno came up behind him. Inferno dodged as he spun around. They did a cage fight dance in the small enclosed walkway, neither making a move for the longest time, but rather just weaving and bobbing. Finally, Max grabbed Inferno's waist just as she got her fingers tight into his shoulders. Phoebe froze. It was the most unsettling sight she had ever seen.

"Leather really is a good look on you!" Phoebe heard him shout. Then, wondering how he could know that the same thing had just occurred hours earlier between her and her husband (but not on purpose - at all, really), Max connected his head with Twilight Inferno's face, albeit much more smoothly than she had done. Inferno crumpled like a sack of potatoes into Max's arms. Phoebe wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but Max seemed to let out a huge breath. He took several before blasting the immobile body with his freeze breath. Trying not to read anything into it, she lifted her watch to her lips.

"Hero League, come in Hero League."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

:: Max ::

"This is most peculiar. Her DNA isn't a match and all tests have come back indicating that she hasn't used any cloning equipment or virtual imaging. She isn't even wearing hair extensions."

"I could have told you that."

Phoebe folded her arms and frowned at President Kickbutt. Max took a noisy sip of his energy drink - Thunder Swoosh _Maximum_ Power in tangerine - and swallowed a belch.

"This discovery gives us a momentous opportunity," President Kickbutt continued. "We have successfully brain modified Grappling Hook to return to the Villain League and explain how she ruined the mission. And Twilight Inferno can return to announce that she's taken Phoebe Thunderman's powers."

" _Excuse_ me?"

President Kickbutt leaned forward, her hair swaying dangerously. Max wondered how many products she had to put in it to keep it so immobile. And high. "Phoebe, this is a rare opportunity to go undercover as a Z Force informant. Some of our members have waited decades and they still haven't gotten the chance. This is an incredible honor."

Max grinned. "So we go in, get the dirt, and shut them down before they know what hit them," he said dreamily nodding, cracking his knuckles. "I like it."

"There's no 'we,' Max. Phoebe has to do this alone."

Max felt his mouth slack. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Phoebe open her mouth to argue, but the President was on a roll.

"It would be too convenient if Max suddenly went evil again."

Max found his voice. "Inferno was trying to talk me into it. It would make perfect sense. I almost thought about it. For a minute. It was a short minute." He didn't mention the leather. It would have been weird.

Phoebe shifted beside him, turning into his force field. Knee to knee."She what now?"

He stalled by aiming his empty energy drink into the trash can by the door. It hit the rim, but it went in. "You heard me."

"Yes, but he'd never do that with his sister still in Hiddenville suddenly powerless. He'd stay to protect the city," President Kickbutt said. She gave Max a hard stare. He hated her stare. It made him wonder what she knew that he didn't know. Or what he did know that no one else should know...

"And just how am I supposed to be two places at once?" Phoebe threw her hands in the air. "Besides, I did technically quit. Yesterday. It was a practice day, and I know I didn't do so hot, but I officially quit today. For reals."

Max snorted. He relished the glare he received.

"Twilight Inferno will be quite capable of taking your place. We've already taken her powers. The memory wipe was a challenge, but my team assumes me it's strong."

The room grew quiet. Max let the words replay. He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. "It's perfect," he said happily.

"Keegan isn't stupid," Phoebe argued.

"Coulda fooled me," Max whispered under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing, Fern-y."

" _Fern-y?_ "

"It's your new nickname as Twilight Inferno. It makes you sound more approachable."

Phoebe opened her mouth to no doubt tell him what an idiot he was, but she didn't get the chance.

"We will provide the maximum protection for Mr. Oostergooster," President Kickbutt assured her. Max thought he saw the woman's lips twitch. It was a horrible name. "Besides, if this mission is successful, all of the Z Force will earn an extended vacation. With the Villain League finally shut down, we can all sit back and focus on our families. Just think of all the good that this could do, Phoebe."

Phoebe pressed her hands together and Max knew then that she was sold. No one could tell her about good-doings without her caving. She was too good to turn away from good. Rarely did Max think that was a good thing.

But this time was different.

"So my husband is going to sleep with the enemy?"

"This is the best day of my life," Max chuckled.

Max thought he had said it quietly enough, but the looks on Phoebe and President Kickbutt's faces told him different.

"Just the thought of all the villains Phoebe will be able to bring to justice," Max swiped at fake tears. "How could it be a bad day?"

" _Anyhow_ , we've taken everything into consideration. Mr. Oostergooster will fall victim to an unfortunate dodgeball accident. He won't be feeling romantic for several weeks. I have no doubt in that time you will be able to retrieve the information necessary."

Max practically giggled. He leaned forward, rubbing his hands together. "Please, tell us more about this _accident_."

"Fine, I'll do it," Phoebe said, ignoring him. "Grow up, Max."

Okay, so maybe not ignoring him.

"Perfect!" President Kickbutt grinned. "Wardrobe and hair is waiting for you. Come with me."

The two women stood up at the same time, turning towards the door. The shift from talking to action was jarring. Max stood up, scraping his chair noisily backwards in the process. "What? What about me?"

Phoebe stopped and turned towards him. She flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"I have a feeling we'll be running into each other soon."

They both stood there staring at each other. President Kickbutt was watching. Max shoved his hands in his pocket.

"Be careful and...stuff."

Phoebe smiled. "You too. Later, Max."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

:: Phoebe ::

"Remember, we're just a button away. The elite crew can be on premises in a moment's notice."

"Got it."

"We've gone as far as we can. We're counting on you."

"Right."

Phoebe was sweating. Badly. Leather may look good on a select few people, herself included, but it was like an oven beneath the surface. She felt like a rotisserie chicken. A chicken with an impending wedgie.

She felt the operatives sink back into the shadows. Villain League had been headquartered in about a dozen different locations since she had first started her training. Their newest was an inconspicuous book shop and cafe. It looked inviting from the front window.

Another step forward. She thought about Keegan. He would be furious if he even knew what she was doing. What would happen when she returned? How could they just pick up where they left off? What if he actually liked Twilight Inferno more than her? What if she was a better cook?

The bell rang over the door. A musty smell hit her nostrils full on. Her arm squeaked like the Tin Man as she lifted it to cough into her elbow.

"You're back!"

A beautiful blonde skipped out from the back room. Her hair was piled on her head in a fancy upsweep. She held a book in her abnormally large hand.

"P-P-Pinch-ess," Phoebe stuttered. The woman gave a curtsy.

"Grappling Girl said you'd be here soon," she said, not noticing the nervousness. "You have to tell us exactly what happened. I want to know how it felt. Do you really have the powers?"

For a split second, Phoebe had no clue what the villainess was talking about. Then she remembered why she was there. She stood up straighter and let out her best impression of an evil laugh.

"Of course," she said. She pointed towards all the books. "But I'd rather not show you here. I've heard reshelving books is a major pain and ice isn't good for the pages."

"Well, duh! You're _so_ right! Well come, come. We've all been waiting."

Pinch-ess turned and Phoebe followed her. Behind the counter, up a short flight of stairs, and through a packed storage room they went, all the way to a back wall filled with books. Pinch-ess pushed the book she was holding into the one empty spot on a shelf halfway up and right in between two Paula Deen cookbooks (Inferno had to be a better cook - it was a sign). In an instant, the wall began to turn, taking them both with it. Phoebe held in her surprised squeak.

When the wall stopped, Phoebe saw she was clearly standing in Headquarters. Her heart pounded as she took inventory of all the evil that sat in the room. Her gaze stopped right in the middle. Dark Mayhem.

"Inferno," he said with reverence. "The water supply may not have been contaminated, but you have succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. Come here."

The sweaty leather protested as she walked towards the cloaked figure. She felt her mouth turn dry. She wanted nothing more than to take them all down now. It was a very Un-Phoebe reaction. That sort of plan was the kind that—

"—Maximus. It's the final piece."

Shit. She had been so busy sweating and thinking about how Max would have just started taking them down that she hadn't paid attention to what Dark Mayhem had been saying. Until he said Max's name.

"Of course it...he...it is," she offered vaguely.

"Let me see the powers."

The pockets of conversation happening around them died instantly. She glanced around. "See them?"

Hero League hadn't figured out this part of the plan. She only hoped her hunch was right. Hands on hips, she sent a fiery blast towards the fireplace. It roared to life. Everyone applauded.

Except Dark Mayhem.

"Power you already had," he said coldly.

She was ready. Without hesitation, she froze the flames. The crowd 'ooh'ed.'

"Better, but not—"

Before he could finish, she sent him skyward. His arms flailed out at his sides. Eyes narrowing, she sent him flying from side to side. With a rough swish she threw him back down in his chair. He grabbed the arms of the chair to keep from toppling to the floor.

"Incredible!" He shouted. He reached out a gloved hand. "Now give them to me."

The room went quiet again. Phoebe forced a smile. Here it was. This was the first gamble. She swatted at the red streaks framing her face.

"I don't think so Dark Mayhem. I earned them."

Dark Mayhem's eyes flashed. Phoebe's sweat level kicked up another notch.

"You're right. I didn't even ask you to take hers, but that was certainly a delicious surprise. But where are Max's? His powers are mine."

Phoebe suddenly realized what she had missed of the earlier conversation. "Ohhhh, the final _piece_ ," she said with a laugh.

He didn't laugh back. "As I suspected. You didn't get his powers."

"You mean I haven't got them _yet._ It's just a matter of time."

"Time is of the essence. I know Max's weakness. With Thundergirl a droll non-supe, and your... _form,_ it should be almost effortless."

"My form?"

Phoebe regretted the question immediately. She knew Dark Mayhem would see right through her. She'd go down in history as the supe who screwed up the plan of a century in less than two hours.

"We've been over this before," Dark Mayhem said slowly. The other villains began to laugh. "He won't be able to destroy you."

Phoebe relaxed. Perhaps he just thought she was a ditz. "Because we share the same powers...now," she concluded. The others laughed louder.

"Of course not!" Dark Mayhem boomed. With a press of a button, a holographic image of Twilight Inferno appeared in between himself and Phoebe. Seconds later, a green plasma ball shot forward, shattering and reconfiguring the image.

Phoebe stifled a scream.

The monster staring back at her was terrifying in every way. She knew now why the Hero League couldn't dissect the DNA. What she didn't know is how it escaped from the realm of nightmares.

They hadn't given Dark Mayhem enough credit.

"What better plan than to have you take the form of the woman Max loves the most," Dark Mayhem purred. "It was worth allowing people to think I'd gone weak to find you, m'dear."

The room started to spin. Phoebe wanted to vomit.

A monster was living with her husband. She couldn't put a name with the horrible image now burned into her retinas, but she knew it was bad.

Even worse, Dark Mayhem just confirmed that he knew what she had been trying to forget and deny for three years.

And so did everyone else in the room.

* * *

Author's Note (2/24/18):  
If you started reading this story before today's date, please note that I was not aware of the uploading issue with Chapter 4 (It kept publishing Chapter 1 again). It is quite an important chapter, so please go back and read it. Thank you for reading and I hope you are enjoying the story!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

:: Max ::

"So her powers are really gone? For real?"

"I've told you ten times, Colosso. Yes, they're gone. For real."

It had never been particularly hard for Max to lie, but he was especially bad at lying to Colosso. He paced his lair, his mind spinning. It had only been four days.

 _What was happening?_

 _Did they see right through her?_

 _Had she found out more about Twilight Inferno?_

"So she's just over at her house doing whatever non-supe's do?"

"I'd imagine she is."

"And that's not driving you crazy?"

Max stopped pacing. He waved his arms around.

"Don't you see I'm wearing a path into the lair floor? Did it occur to you I don't know what to do?"

"We could sing our song—"

"Never again."

Colosso didn't answer. Max resumed pacing.

 _Should I go to Metroburg?_

 _Should I check on Keegan? No - that one's easy to answer. Just...no._

Max had lost count of how many circles he'd made when a _pop_ filled the air and he walked right into Chloe. Before he could say a word, she grabbed his arm.

"You're coming with me, _baby_."

And with another _pop_! the lair was gone and they were surrounded by shoes.

"Welcome to BASE! Can I introduce you to a pair of shoes? Or how about a razor for you, scruffy looking sir I don't know?"

"Billy, it's us."

Billy looked at Chloe blankly and then glanced at his arm.

"Of course it is…Chloe! I'm just surprised to see you and…" he glanced at his other arm. "Tax."

"Tax?"

Billy brought his arm closer to his face. "I think the _M_ smeared again."

Max crossed his arms and sighed. Chloe tugged his arms apart. "C'mon, Max," she pleaded. She gave him sad puppy eyes. He sighed. " _Fine_."

Chloe grinned. Max rolled his eyes. He was well aware that she knew how to get her way every time; he was nothing but a pushover when it came to her. He attributed it to the giant age gap. She attributed it to her never-ending cuteness and irresistible catchphrase. Even at age 11, her 'baby!' tagline made people smile.

"These are my new Billiam 2's," Billy was explaining. He held up a giant bowling shoe.

"Who in their right mind would buy those?" Max asked.

"Just sold a pair to the Badass Baller earlier this morning," Billy boasted.

"Billy, he's a villain!" Chloe gasped. Billy yanked a wad of cash out of his pocket with his free hand and waved it against his cheek.

"He was super polite. He counted the bills out twice for me. You know...math struggles."

Max pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's counterfeit."

"It is not! It's the newest print of Metro-dollars."

"Gimme those."

Max yanked the bills from his brother's hand. They left streaks of green against Billy's cheek. He held the terribly constructed currency up to the light and gasped.

"What?"

Phoebe's - Twilight Inferno's - face smiled back through the light, right in the center where the picture of an old dead President should be. His heart gave a weird jerk, but before he could think about it too much, the bills self-ignited.

"Ouch!" Max yelled. He dropped the pile of faux dollars, now ashes, on the floor.

"Max! You owe me six thousand Metro-dollars!"

"Billy, why don't you show me the super-tween section?"

Billy's forehead wrinkled in confusion. Then he smiled. "Sure!"

Max watched as his two siblings walked across the store. Billy's brain power, or lack thereof, terrified him. No amount of brotherly bonding had helped pour logic into that brain. It was less of an issue with Nora around, but she was hundreds of miles away.

"Doggin, get back here! MAAAAAXXXX!"

Max stumbled forward as Blobbin's squishy frame tackled him in a hug. The plump bulldog danced around his feet excitedly.

"I just had the best morning and seeing you just made it better! What did I miss?"

No one in the Thunderman family would ever tell Billy, but Mom and Dad had made Blobbin promise that he'd watch over their youngest son. Blobbin was happy to do it; he was always desperate for attention and with the family just a Blobbin call away, Billy finally proved he could make a name for himself away from the shadow of the talented Thundermans.

Poor, unsuspecting Billy.

"You missed a villain and a pile of counterfeit money," Max said, kicking the pile of ashes. Doggin sniffed them curiously.

"Oh no! He'd been doing so well," Blobbin sighed.

Max couldn't argue. BASE (Billy's Awesome Shoe Emporium!) was packed with people. Two blonde teenage employees were fitting little kids with shoes and getting repeatedly kicked. An over-the-hill geriatric supe was doing a slow jog in place wearing a glowing pair of white sneakers. Phoebe, aka Twilight Inferno, was sneaking along the wall, yanking the price tag off a pair of thigh-high leather boots that matched her leather suit…

"Excuse me" Max said, patting Blobbin's shoulder. Blobbin didn't see what had caught his attention for at that moment, Doggin gobbled up the money ashes and immediately started to snort and gag. Max dodged around a spinning rack of tie-dye soccer socks and a cardboard standup of Electress wearing a pair of silver heels.

"DOGGIN-WOGGIN!"

She slid through the door leading back into the warehouse portion of BASE. Max was mere steps behind her. She tore across the half-empty room. Max knew he should let her go. She could be there with another villain and he could ruin the whole operation. It had only been 96 hours since they had separately left Hero League.

But Max couldn't resist temptation when temptation was staring him right in the face. The second she landed in the rope loop, he was ready with the end. He gave it a pull and her body swung up, her hair cascading down like a red waterfall.

Billy's favorite booby traps were rope related. Actually, his only traps were rope-related. It had been a nice bonding moment between the brothers when they installed the fifteen around the giant warehouse. Billy was able to set off any one of the traps before a villain knew what was happening...and so could Max.

"Well, well, well…" Max drawled slowly. "What _do_ we have here?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

:: Phoebe ::

Phoebe hated the old Spider-Man trap. She did a stomach crunch, stretching her arms out to grab for the rope holding her feet.

"What _do_ we have here?"

She stopped, letting her body fall back. Max's face came into her field of upside down vision. He was grinning. She was not.

"Get me down."

"Miss the family already?"

"I broke the heel off my other pair. I needed a replacement fast."

"So you decided to steal from your brother?"

Shut up. I love Billy. I left money in the empty box out there. This was just convenient. Now get me down. I have to tell you—oomph!"

Max caught her just as the rope loosened from the ceiling pulley. She grabbed at his arms, righting herself. Still in his hold, she spun around to face him.

"You're in danger," she said quickly.

"Aren't I always?"

"No, Max," Phoebe shook her head. "You don't understand. Dark Mayhem—Inferno—-"

There was so much to tell him and so little time that she didn't know where to start. And she couldn't think well with his arms still around her. She ducked out, leaving his arms around empty air. His face turned red. With a cough, he threw his arms up in the air and leaned to the side as if in need of a stretch.

"Keegan's in danger."

"Pity."

"Max, I'm serious! But you can't go anywhere near that house. You need to tell or go—-"

But who or what he was supposed to tell and when and where he was supposed to go, Phoebe didn't get the chance to say. Just then, Doggin began pounding through the warehouse, barking at the top of her lungs.

"I've got to go!" Phoebe hissed. She threw herself towards the doorway leading to the alley. Dark Mayhem had sent her on a mission to locate an obsidian stone and she had been gone way too long for such a simple task. Dark Mayhem had stressed that it was crucial to the next phase of their plan.

 _Their_ plan.

Phoebe still couldn't get the image of that monster out of her mind. She had scoured the bookshelves of the cafe for a book that might explain the origins of the beast, but there was nothing except tattered copies of _Wuthering_ _Heights_ , cookbooks, and outdated books about the solar system.

Her plan had been to swing by the Metroburg Library when her heel had busted. The side trip for a new pair of boots had taken too much time. She took two more alleys, quickly distancing herself from BASE. Each alley was more sinister than the next. Finding a crack in the wall at the beginning of a final alley, she entered the Crystal Labyrinth, remembering to act evil. That meant acting impatient and annoyed.

She channeled Max.

"I need an obsidian stone."

The girl behind the desk with a silver and purple Mohawk and a chain that connected piercings from her nose to lip didn't even look up from the magazine she was reading. As she lazily reached behind her, Phoebe got a glimpse at the inside of Evil Teen magazine. The girl plastered across the cover story looked a lot like an older version of one of the kids she and Max had talked to years ago at Metroburg Junior Jail.

She never should have brought pens.

"Here."

A bundle of brown paper slid across the aluminum counter. Phoebe reached for it and peeled a corner.

"Purchases are sight unseen."

A pockmarked and slashed face belonged to the new voice. The guy at the doorway squinted at her. Phoebe quickly put down a money bag and gathered her courage.

"Likewise with the payment," she said coldly. Before she could hear the response, she took the small wrapped package and ducked out of the store.

It wasn't until she was almost back to the bookstore cafe that she slowed down. She pulled the package out and leaned against a flickering streetlight. The stone felt lighter than it should for its size. She knew she'd be in huge trouble if she had been duped. Dark Mayhem would expect more from her. She ripped off the paper, sending the shreds to the ground and held the stone up to her eyes.

She knew immediately she should have taken the extra time to stop by the library. The razor sharp edge of the stone dug into her palm and she gasped, her eyes unable to leave the mirror-like opaque surface. It was the oddest sensation. Her feet didn't leave the ground, but her mind flung itself backwards in time despite her silent protests as the stone's surface went from flickering tv screen to time manipulator.

One year ago…

Two years ago…

Three years ago…

Right to the rooftop of the hotel. Right to the pounding music, the pizza, the wine, and the tipsy honesty.

Right to the Thundertwins' 21st birthday.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

:: Max ::

"You're going to love her."

"I'm locking myself in my slide."

"Max, don't be silly."

"Mom, I know you mean well, but I don't need you to set me up on a blind double date. Especially when the other couple is you and _dad_."

Barb Thunderman sighed. Max was good at making her sigh.

"Can you at least shave?"

"I happen to like this look, thank you."

ALERT ALERT

| BLIND DATE APPROACHING |

"Don't you dare!"

Max had one leg in the hatch. He scowled. Barb threw him a cardigan. "It'll bring out your eyes."

He angrily began to shrug into the light blue button up sweater. How it would bring out his brown eyes was anyone's guess. At the last moment, he stopped, grabbing his leather jacket instead. If he was forced out on a date he didn't want, at least he was going to look good. _Stupid_ date.

This was the last thing he had wanted. He'd had major plans for the evening. Colosso was waiting to watch _America's Last Rock Band_ with him. Then he had planned to be regrettably responsible and do a little surveillance at Oostergooster's. He figured Phoebe would never forgive him if he let the loser do something stupid. Or die. Or stupidly die.

"Max, this is Beatrice Karpos. Beatrice, this is our son, Maximus."

Barb ushered a large basket with legs towards him. "Nice to meet you, Max. Here's a little something from my family to yours," the walking basket said.

Before Max could stop her, his blind date thrust the giant basket of oranges into his arms. He staggered under the weight.

"Beatrice's family is made up of super growers," Barb explained. "Hank, could you take this?"

As if on cue, whenever food was around, Hank appeared. "Ooh are these Karpos oranges? I haven't had one of these since I had the Thunderflu."

Instead of taking the basket, he rooted around trying to find the biggest one. Max stomped on his foot.

"Y-ouch!" Hank howled. He grabbed the basket. "I'll just take these to the kitchen."

Max stared at the two women in the room. Beatrice looked a little older than him with a sharp nose that reminded him of a beak, curving down to thin lips. Her hair was a few shades lighter than the oranges. Her skin looked like it had spent too much time out in the sun. Her green dress and her lack of height made him think of an Oompa Loompa.

His mom had set him up with an Oompa Loompa.

Forty-five minutes later, Max was contemplating ways of climbing up the tube at Splatburger with only the help of a straw wrapper and a bone he had found sticking out of his hamburger. His mom and Beatrice had not shut up about some stupid farm since they got there and his dad hadn't looked up from the stack of food. Every time the pile started to go down, more shot down from the tube.

"—Max?"

Max had never been so happy to hear that voice. He scrambled out of the booth, barely avoiding kicking his date in the head.

"Cherry!" He said happily. "How you been?"

He crushed her to him so hard he seemed to push all the air out of her body. He pressed his lips to her ear. "I'm on the double date from Hell. Save me," he whispered before letting her go.

Cherry hadn't changed much since high school. Actually, she hadn't changed at all. Her blonde curls bounced as she smiled and leaned back. She held up her thumb, right to his face, and winked.

In front of everyone.

"Soooo," she said conversationally, turning and focusing in on Beatrice. "Are you from Hell, Michigan or Hell, Norway?"

Max laughed awkwardly as his mom's glare threatened to pound him flat on the ground. "So, Cherry, what did you need? Let's walk outside where my mom can't kill her second born. If you'll excuse us..."

Before she could answer, Max yanked Cherry away and outside. A group of teenagers hung around the entrance, the boys of the group flinging spitballs up at the awning using straws.

"Wong's giving out free burgers for the next five minutes," Max said casually.

The area cleared quickly. Cherry looked around in confusion.

"So what's up?"

Max was sure by the blank look that Cherry gave him that she had probably forgotten why she'd even walked up to him. Then he saw her tears. His eyes widened.

He hated tears. His tears. Other tears. Especially girl tears.

"Phoebe isn't answering my calls," Cherry sniffled. "It's been _days_."

"Oh," Max relaxed slightly. "She isn't really answering mine either. She's just super busy and-"

"But I _need_ her."

"That makes two-" Max stopped. "I mean, the two of you always need each other. Give it a few weeks and things will be back to normal."

Cherry was not good at reading between the lines. Even though she had discovered (most) of their secrets, she still couldn't take the hint that her bestie might be on a mission.

"No, Max, you don't understand," she started playing with her car keys. Max thought about the fact that she had a license every time he got behind the wheel of his own car. It reminded him to be road aware. "I really need her this time. It's important."

Max laughed. "So are we talking 'best friend selfie project' important or 'I lost my car keys and had to walk here' important? Because if it's the last one, I can help you. The keys are in your hand."

The tears came back. _Shit, the tears came back._

"No," Cherry wiped away the first dripper. The second one was even larger. Max squirmed.

"It's the ' _I think I'm pregnan_ t' kind of important. I can't do this without Phoebe. I need her to tell me what to do. I need her to hold my hand and sit on the edge of the tub with me and tell me what the test says."

She started crying harder. Max glanced up just as one of the spitwads came sailing down onto his face. He swatted it away. He glanced at Cherry again. He glanced around at nothing. Loud sob-gulps added to the tears. Max's shoulders slumped.

"You owe me, Pheebs," he mumbled. Cherry snort-sobbed.

"What?" _Hiccup_.

Max glanced through the windows back into the restaurant. He swore he saw ketchup dangling from the end of Beatrice's nose. She ate with her mouth open. Food had no choice to projectile out and that nose was just there to catch it.

"Let's go," Max said, snagging her keys.

Cherry's mascara had formed two parallel lines. "Where? To Phoebe?"

"I wish," Max sighed. "C'mon."

Cherry started crying again. Max grabbed her elbow and pointed it towards her little VW Bug. He had only rode in it one other time before and he had felt like he was taking a joy ride in a clown car. The second time was no different.

Except that Phoebe wasn't there. And she was going to owe him.

 _Oh_ was she going to owe him.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

:: Phoebe ::

 _Three Years Ago_

"I'm BeBe. I mean Pho-meme. Hehehe. _Phoebe_. I'm Phoebe!"

It happened every time. Phoebe gawked at the million watt smile of the drop-dead gorgeous uniformed hunk in front of her. He just laughed.

"I never thought I'd have the pleasure of meeting Thunderg-"

"Outta my way, birthday twin coming through! 21-what what!"

Phoebe stumbled back as a giant mass of Z-shaped balloons smacked her in the face. She narrowed her eyes, concentrated, and sent Max stumbling forward. She smiled with satisfaction at the sound of his own hand slapping his face.

"OUCH!"

The balloons made another turn towards her. She ducked just in time. It was also the perfect angle to see the hunk walk away.

"MAX!"

"What?"

"I was talking to him!"

"Who? That hotel lackey? What a goon."

"He wasn't a goon!"

Max just smirked. "Okay, good talk. Things to do. Tootles."

Phoebe sighed. She knew she couldn't stay mad at Max. Not on their birthday.

It was a big birthday in a lot of ways. They were hours away from turning twenty-one. They had just taken down a huge crime ring. They had just unveiled their second mural, this time on the side of the Metroburg Bank.

They were the brand new owners of a rundown two bedroom apartment in central Hiddenville.

Everything was going their way.

"This party is going to be off the chain!"

"I don't see any chains. Shouldn't we have had the party at Metroburg Jail if you wanted chains?"

"It's a _phrase_ , Billy."

"I _knew_ that. Anyhow, this party is going to be way better than off the chain. It's going to be," Billy checked a list he held in his hand. "off the streamers!"

"No. Just, _no_."

Nora gave Phoebe a wave and bright smile as she walked by with Billy. Phoebe laughed.

Everything was perfect.

"You better go down and get ready."

Mom's arms wrapped around Phoebe tightly from behind. "My babies...twenty-one. Where did the time go?"

" _Mom_ , we're far from babies. We just took down-"

"I don't care how many bad guys you take down. You're still my adorable baby girl that we brought home from the hospital. And Max is still the -"

"Breathtakingly handsome baby boy you should have declared a spoiled only child by forgetting the screaming pink wiggly thing that kept taking all the bassinet space back at the hospital?"

"And Max is still Max," mom finished as Max smirked, mimicking the rocking of a baby and then tossing the pretend bundle behind his shoulder. Mom kissed Phoebe's cheek. "Go get ready. _Both_ of you."

"C'mon, Max," Phoebe said. They crossed the floor in tandem, stepping into the elevator. The walls shimmered around them. The elevator probably cost more than the apartment building they now called home.

"Nicole coming?" Phoebe asked as the numbers above the doors started to tick downward.

"We called things off a week ago," Max said casually.

"What? I thought it was going well."

Max shrugged, eyes glued to the number countdown. "She needs someone with a more set schedule."

Phoebe didn't answer. It was the story of their life.

"What about you? Link coming?"

"No, he's busy actually. He, uh, just got engaged."

"But you guys just went on a date three months ago."

Phoebe was saved by the opening of elevator doors. Her room was directly across the hall. She got there in three strides, sliding her keycard into the door.

"Meet you back here in an hour," she called out behind her shoulder. She stepped into the room and closed the door behind her before she could hear the response.

Knowing Link was engaged should have upset her more, but she couldn't bring herself to get sad. Link was just a guest star in her life, albeit an important guest star. Due to his own success as a superhero, he at least understood what she was going through. He had been her true first love and they had shared a lot of firsts. Only her, Link, and Max knew that.

She really needed to start hiding her diary better.

Her dress of choice was a low cut black tea length number with silver streaks running along the sides. She had gone pink for prom, red for Mom and Dad's award ceremony (she always tried to block that one out), and blue for graduation. Black seemed right. She lightly brushed the fabric as she stepped into the shower. "See you soon, dressy," she said to the inanimate object.

An hour later, she was ready. She swung open her door, sure she was going to have to pull Max away from either Colosso or his comb (or both), but she walked straight into him. The scent of her favorite male body spray invaded her nostrils and she took a greedy inhale to draw it in.

"Hey. You look…alright."

Max rubbed his neck as he said it. Phoebe's eyes widened. He hadn't dressed the part for prom, he had cleaned up very nice for Mom and Dad's award ceremony (but again, trying to block that one out), and he had only worn a pair of super short gym shorts to mock Principal Bradford at graduation. Tonight he had gone with a similar theme as herself: Silver tie, slightly open collar of a black dress shirt covered by a crisp black jacket. Black pants and dress shoes.

And that fantastic smell.

"Back at mew. I mean pew. Shoe. _You_ ," Phoebe stumbled. She shook her head. _What the heck_?

"Shall we?" He offered his arm. Phoebe hesitated. He smiled.

"No tricks tonight," he assured. "Thunder promise."

She smiled back. Sliding her arm through his, she let him lead the way.

The party was indescribably awesome. The superheroes made it a star studded event, but the best part was all their friends. Oyster, Gideon, Sarah, Wolfgang, and of course, Cherry.

It had been President Kickbutt that presented them with the wine. Phoebe felt guilty when she took the first sip, like she was getting caught at an underage party. It wasn't until her dad turned the second sip into a toast that she relaxed.

The problem was that the wine tasted fantastic. She had sipped a beer before (college, duh), but she had hated the aftertaste. The wine tasted like a fruity candy. It also kept magically refilling in her glass.

It seemed impossible that she would want to leave her own party, but during a slow number when all the couples hit the floor, she found herself clutching her wine glass and slipping up the service stairs to the roof. Considering the swankiness of the hotel, the roof was disappointedly just a roof.

But for Phoebe, just a roof provided her a great view of the sky. She kicked off her shoes and stretched out along the ledge, her back pressed safely against the building. She didn't look down. She just looked up.

"It feels infinite, doesn't it? When you really think about it, we supes don't seem so impressive when you look up at all of this and think of those who came before."

Phoebe glanced across the ledge at Max who was sitting just like she was, bracing the other side of the building where the second set of service stairs came out to the roof. His tie was undone, hanging loosely around his neck. How long he'd been there, she didn't know. His jacket was nowhere to be found; his shirtsleeves rolled up past his elbows. He lifted his wine glass towards her. She found herself mimicking the movement.

"How come someone who can be so deeply poetic could never write band lyrics?"

The look he gave her made her think that she had potentially made him angry. He twirled his glass around, masking his eyes and Phoebe watched the spin right along with him.

"I prefer the teamwork of me writing the notes and you supplying the lyrics," he said softly. Gently. With a hint of huskiness…

Phoebe could see why girls fell for Max Thunderman. He was never without the element of surprise. He was charismatic, handsome, fun, complicated, charming...

"Cheers Phoebe," he said, lifting the glass high and putting a stop to Phoebe's wandering mind - her dangerously wandering mind. "For putting up with me for twenty-one years."

She lifted her own glass, proud of the smooth recovery. "And to many more," she said with a smile. Max returned the look and they each took a deep sip.

"This wine is really good," Phoebe said, twirling the stem around her fingers. She sighed. A thought came to her mind that she would have normally squashed, but the liquid courage and Max's earlier confession was making her lips loose. "I lied earlier," she admitted.

"When?"

She looked away from her glass. At him. "When I said you looked alright too. You...you look much better than alright."

Max smirked. "Phoebe Monica Rachel Thunderman, you're drunk."

Phoebe frowned. That wasn't the response she thought she'd get. "I am not, _Maximus Octavius_. You had more than I did."

"I also practically took the drinking course in college. I can handle it quite well."

Phoebe raised her hand in the air to tele-slap him. Unfortunately, it was the one holding the glass. They both tilted forward slightly to watch it sail down and out of view.

"C'mon."

Max swung off the ledge. Phoebe copied him. Then for good measure, she held her arms out at her sides before performing a perfect ballet spin.

"Couldn't do that if I was drunk," she taunted. "Time to break out the Triple Phoebe-mus!" Taking it a step further, she began to do a series of spins around him, laughing.

Buzzed, maybe. Drunk, no.

She was almost done when he took her arm. Her hair whipped around, gliding gently over his face, and she reached out her other arm, still giggling. Her hand fell into his. She felt him drop the grip on her arm and it fell to her waist.

She stopped giggling.

Her breath seemed to leave her body. For once, he didn't explain the moment away with words. For once, he was quiet.

When he began leading her in a slow dance, she began to mentally agree she might be drunk. She'd seen Max do a lot of dancing; he _loved_ dancing, they _both_ loved dancing, but he'd never slow danced with her before.

And he was so good at it. And he _looked_ good at doing it from her up-close view. She looped her free arm around his neck.

For that moment in time, it felt like they were the only two people alive under the starry sky. Phoebe couldn't think of another moment in her life like it. She let out a sigh she didn't realize she'd been holding, allowed herself to completely relax in his arms, and studied his face.

He was already studying hers.

One could argue that one of them had to pursue the resulting kiss, but both faces tilted just so at exactly the same time. Both leaned in at the exact same moment. Both breathed the other in simultaneously.

What happened at that moment was completely unexpected. Their lips met, their breath became one. Phoebe's palms flooded with warmth as she broke loose of the dance hold, cupping his face in her hands, feeling his strong jaw at work beneath her fingertips. Both of his arms locked and tightened around her waist, lifting her slightly off the ground as he brought her crushing against him. A shower of sparks erupted around them, hitting the floor and then bouncing up and dissolving with tiny pops, but they were oblivious to anything but one another.

When the need for air reached an urgent level, they reluctantly broke apart. Max's lips glistened from the sheen of her gloss. They looked at each other in shock.

Phoebe knew this was the moment for her rational brain to take charge. This was the time when she pulled a simple explanation out of thin air. Max would counter with some form of disagreement. They would argue (or as Max called it, _bicker_ ) and they'd go back to the party and chalk it up to a buzz gone wrong.

Instead, Max's fingers wound into her hair. He swooped in for another kiss before she could get out a word. This time they both felt the sparks graze their arms.

Phoebe's heart thundered in her chest. Max pulled away, but this time it was her turn. She brought their lips crashing back together.

The back and forth continued down the stairs.

It travelled past the stairwell stop for their party.

It continued to the stairwell of their floor.

It stopped between their rooms. Phoebe knew that _this_ was the moment for her rational brain to take charge. They couldn't do this. She felt him against her back, his body rising and falling from being out of breath. It was a moment when perfect clarity washed over her.

Life had been leading up to this moment. Rationale shut down.

"Mine," she said, twirling around. She grabbed the loose ends of his tie and tugged. "Must avoid the bunny."

Max seemed stunned. He stumbled towards her, his face flushed, his lips already looking swollen...his eyes hungry. She didn't remember swiping the keycard, but as they stumbled in and he kicked the door closed behind them, she realized it had happened.

Was happening.

"Pheebs, I—"

What he was going to say at that moment, she never found out. The whole of her that loved the whole of him - every inch of confusing, infuriating, adorable _him_ \- shut him up with a kiss so hard and strong that the lights in the entire room flickered for a full minute…

Before completely going out.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

:: Max ::

"Thank you, Max. If I can't have Phoebe, you're the next best thing."

"You will _never_ tell anyone about this _ever_."

"Nope, never."

Max didn't believe her for a second. He glanced at the timer on his watch.

"Ten seconds."

The porcelain of the tub made for an uncomfortable seat. In his mind's eye, he pictured Phoebe there, chatting a mile a minute and making it seem like just a normal Phoeberry (he was bad at the couple name mashing thing) moment.

It made a lot more sense than him sitting a step away from a peed on stick, counting down until they could look at it.

"I'm going to throw up," Cherry moaned.

"Doesn't that typically come later for you non-supes? That whole nine month baking time ordeal?"

"Baking time?"

Before he could explain, the timer went off. Cherry shoved his shoulder, almost pushing him backwards into the tub.

"You check."

Max snorted. "I'm not doing that."

"Cheeeeccckk," Cherry whined. "Phoebe would."

"Of course she would! She'd break her neck for you. Wait, she almost did that already. I mean—"

Cherry sniffled. Max saw the first tear of round two.

"Arrrrrrgh, let's just get this over with," he growled, pushing up from the cold sweaty tub lip and picking the stick up from the edge of the sink. He stared down.

"Well?"

Max had a really good line about the end of civilization as they knew it on the tip of his tongue. He was so close to letting it out, but then he glanced at her smudgy face and her big wide eyes. Scared eyes.

"It's positive."

She clamped her hands over her mouth. He caught her before she fell backwards. She pressed her hands into his shoulders.

"What am I going to _do_?" she panicked.

 _Not ask me to go to the doctor's with you,_ he thought to himself.

"You'll be fine. This happens every day. Probably more than once a day. Actually for sure more than once a day. The world's a huge place and—"

"I mean me! How could I have been so _stupid_?"

Max rubbed his neck. More insults came to mind. She was making it too easy.

"You'll be fine," he said again. He really had no clue what to tell her and he didn't want to know the backstory of how this had all come to be. "You have Phoebe...and me."

 _Ugh, I can't believe I just said that,_ he thought.

"Oh, Max! Why can't all guys be like you? You've turned into a really great guy," she shook his shoulders. "Thank you."

He let out an _oomph!_ as she squeezed him. He awkwardly patted her head. Her hair felt really similar to Colosso's fur.

"Well, I should get going," he said. Cherry made a face and he was sure she was going to beg him to stay. Her lower lip quivered.

"Can you tell Pheebs to call me?"

"Sure," Max said quickly. The sooner he passed Cherry back to Phoebe the better. He had a nightmarish thought of Cherry calling at all hours of the night to go fetch ice cream and tacos for her and her pregnancy cravings. Or her asking him to tie her shoes because she couldn't see her toes.

After promising two more times to let Phoebe know, declining a ride home, and tripping over a giant stuffed panda sitting in the middle of Cherry's kitchenette, Max finally stepped outside. _Freedom._

It was raining lightly. Max weighed his options. He could walk home. He could go check on Oostergooster. He could go get a drink at the bar around the corner.

He opted for a walk in the direction of home. Oostergooster would have to wait until morning. He flipped his collar up and shoved his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket and took off at a casual pace. He didn't mind a little rain.

Hiddenville was a great place to walk. "The City of 1000 Parks" wasn't kidding about being, well, "The City of 1000 Parks". Some were barely big enough for three trees. Others provided awesome biking trails. Max cut through one that made the trip home shorter, Shadow Park. The trail lamps were spread out a little too far and the trees fell in front of the light just enough to create overarching shadows all around. He had just rounded the bend at a giant weeping willow when he heard his name.

"Max."

They had prepared him for encountering her, but Max had thought it would take longer and the location would be different, like Oostergooster's house. From the glow of a weak light, Twilight Inferno strolled up to him, her light yellow dress clinging to her from the dampness of the drizzle, her shoes dangling from her fingers. He took in the sight of her bare legs before traveling back to the face.

"What are you doing out here, Pheebs?"

It was an odd feeling calling someone he knew wasn't her by her name. The feeling was muddied even more because of how much she looked like her.

 _Those legs._

"I just felt like a walk. You?"

"Same. But I'm heading home now...after my walk."

He sounded like an idiot. Real Phoebe would have teased him. Inferno just smiled and walked closer.

 _She's been reprogrammed,_ he reminded himself. _No need to panic_...

Except he thought President Kickbutt had mentioned maximum protection. He had assumed that meant another agent assigned specifically to make sure Inferno didn't get too close to the family or their friends. Max was sure she could pull off being Phoebe for a little while, but an entire conversation with someone they were close to would surely uncover the truth. No one could be Phoebe as well as Phoebe could. So if that was true and an agent was keeping things under wraps, how come she was walking around in the dark?

"...so lonely."

"What?" Max blinked in confusion. She had gotten closer. Really close. So close he could feel her body heat.

"I hate seeing you so lonely."

"I'm not. Lonely, I mean."

"Max," her voice was so soothing. She played with his upturned collar. Max felt sleepy all of a sudden. "You don't have to lie to me. I know you."

His Thundersense tingled. Something was wrong...so wrong. Her hand lowered to press against his chest and her fingers dug sensuously into his shirt. She tilted her head and smiled. She leaned even closer. His heart thudded.

"Close your eyes," she whispered. "We both know what we want."

He longed to obey. His eyes felt so extremely heavy. It wouldn't hurt to close his eyes…

He was at a full squint, a second away from shutting the world away and letting her continue to slide her hand around his chest, when he saw the sneaker sticking out of the bushes. A torrent of cold fear washed over him.

 _Maximum protection._

"No!"

The moment the word was out and he saw the look of pure hatred slide across her face, he knew the memory wipe had failed. He jumped back and ducked a stream of fire that flew out of her mouth so fast that it seemed incredible she had been throwing herself at him a second before. He attempted a freeze breath as he tried to shake off the lasting threads of exhaustion, but he failed. She just laughed.

"You can run, but you can't escape," she said. "It's the only way you'll ever have her."

He froze. "What?"

She took the moment to send another torrent of flame at him. He ducked, but her comment and their previous skin to skin contact had made him sluggish. He hissed in pain as the heat burned into his jacket, searing his skin.

Her fingers played with the thin shoulder straps of her dress. "Don't think I don't know your dirty little secret, Maxy T."

Struggling past the rising terror he felt, he forced himself to concentrate. She was trying to get into his mind and mess with his psyche. As she strutted forward, the simple slide of his hand sent her airborne and she slammed into the closest tree. The force should have knocked her out. Instead, she just laughed like he had tickled her.

Max knew he wasn't going to win this fight. He turned and started to run, but she was fast and unphased at the previous attempts to bring her down. She tackled him around the legs and they crashed to the ground.

It was like the struggle at the tower and plant all over again. He hadn't told President Kickbutt, Phoebe, or anyone else, but the moment Inferno had him pinned, he lost all fight. His mind went carnal. He thought about the nights he would do anything for a chance to relive again. There hadn't been many.

But they had been great.

"Let's play, handsome," she purred, pinning him for the third time in a week and running her hand through his soggy hair. She grabbed at the strands roughly, exposing his face and throat to the rain.

Her body pressed closer than ever. Her face seemed to blur around the edges. Her lips parted and Max fought weakly not to mimic the motion. Seconds ticked by and he felt himself fading. He felt her lips brush his and he waited for the sparks, but they didn't come. Instead, a horrifying image of the most hideous monster he had ever seen unfurled in his brain as an indescribable sensation ripped through his body. He hated it, but he had no choice. She was in control and he was the pawn.

"Not him, you bitch! He's mine!"

The monstrous image remained suspended in his mind even after the sensation faded and the weight of her body was flung from him. Max blinked rapidly, urging his mind to clear. He sat up as two horrible screams filled the air. One was pained. One was just pissed.

His field of vision sharpened. When it did, his eyes locked on her and didn't stray. He knew he needed to jump up and help. It was so good to see her. A rush of adrenaline filled his body, but he needed to take just one more second...

After all, Phoebe had just called him _hers_.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

:: Phoebe ::

 _If she had arrived a minute later, Max..._

Phoebe willed herself not to get distracted as she sent wave after wave of blasts at Inferno, successfully capturing her in a semi-force field at the base of the tree she had just flung her into. She had sent the biggest telekinetic blast of her life at the monster the second she rounded the bend and saw the seductress—

She screamed in sheer anger again and stomped her heeled boot. It helped her focus. Her hands shook from the amount of energy she was forcing her body to expel. For once, she was thankful for the leather suit. The rain simply ran off of her as if she was impenetrable.

The cut from the obsidian stone no longer hurt. The crystal felt warm against her hip and reminded her of the multiple reasons why she had raced to Hiddenville.

Her Thundersense had never been stronger.

She felt him before she saw him. The force field rippled and seemed to strengthen at the same time the effort it took her to keep it in place reduced. Neither twin looked at the other as they pressed shoulder to shoulder, but the proximity made her instantly feel better.

"It's darker magic than we've ever experienced before," Phoebe said shakily.

"She's not human," Max said. They both stumbled back as Inferno tested the limit of the hold. "I called for back-up."

"You're going to need it."

Phoebe spun around to face Dark Mayhem. His green eyes illuminated in time with his laughter.

"You have something of mine, _ThunderGirl_ ," he said.

Phoebe could tell by the hiss of breath that Max was forcing himself to maintain the semi-force field. Turning to face Dark Mayhem with her would mean leaving their backs vulnerable to Inferno.

"It was more helpful to me," she said, sounding way more confident than she felt.

"That was my hope when I sent you for the stone," Dark Mayhem said gleefully. "All of that newfound clarity will make it even worse when you see your brother die right in front of you. Imbecile."

He sent an energy sphere right towards Max. Phoebe deflected it easily.

What she knew she couldn't do was take on Dark Mayhem and all the others at once. As she deflected a second energy sphere, Dark Mayhem's minions began to creep out from the shadows.

As the skies opened up with sheets of hard rain, Madame Mantis leapt from a nearby bush and became the closest threat. Phoebe had never forgotten what she had tried to do to her and Link. She scowled at the giant green head, the rain dripping off of the thick antennae.

"Get lost, Quinn," she said, deflecting a third sphere at the same time she sent her heat breath straight towards the bug. It was nearly as effective as hot sauce. A scream flew from the giant green headed mango lover and Quinn inched backwards rapidly to escape the fire.

Son of Scalestro was next. He was also easy to distract. Her freeze breath had him hissing away; snakes hated the cold. Two more spheres came at them. She barely caught the second one.

"That's right," Dark Mayhem laughed. "It's only a matter of time. Give up."

"You'll have to get past all of us first!"

For the first time since he had taken over sole possession of the force field, Phoebe saw Max turn his head and lock eyes with the owner of the announcement. Some silent agreement must have transpired between dad and son; the second the pact was decided, Max turned his full attention back to keeping Twilight Inferno trapped.

The entire transaction took a split second, but Dark Mayhem took advantage of the distraction. Phoebe screamed in terror as she fumbled to focus on the volley of energy spheres. Even her Thundersense couldn't keep up. His desire at revenge had reached a crazed level. Phoebe's arms felt like propellers; her fingers ached and tensed. Despite her intensity and determination to fight the pain, one of Dark Mayhem's spheres finally grazed Max's back before she could deflect it. It started a chain reaction that seemed to play out in slow motion. Phoebe felt Max tip forward. She felt the dissipation of the force field through her sensory nerves.

"Shit!" Max yelled.

Pandemonium erupted all around the park. What seemed like the entire Hero League had finally appeared on the scene. Phoebe saw her mom dueling with Lady Web, the electricity and webbing creating an intricate show as the thin strands appeared and immediately disintegrated. Chloe, already a powerful Little Z, was confusing an easily confused Strongdor. Her dad intercepted Inferno.

"You don't want to do this, daddy!" Phoebe heard the monstrous doppelgänger yell.

"I know my daughter, and you're not her!" Hank boomed.

Phoebe wanted to turn and warn her dad, but she knew she couldn't stop to watch. Even the simple pause to absorb the conversation had been too much. An energy sphere sailed right towards her, blocked by a hand not her own.

"We got this," Max said. She heard pain in his voice, but she knew she would have to wait to find out the extent of the sphere's damage. The only hint of severity was the smell of his destroyed leather jacket. "Bind."

He hadn't needed to say it aloud; she already knew what their synchronized movement would be. Using ergokinesis, they worked together to bind the energy spheres sailing their way. They shot them back towards the ultimate villain, volleying them again and again.

"You aren't getting away this time, Thundertwins. It ends tonight!" Dark Mayhem warned.

Phoebe didn't know how long the battle raged, but she knew that what they had experienced less than two months ago in Australia was nothing compared to the passion with which all the villains were fighting tonight. All around her, good and evil were dueling for the upper hand.

President Kickbutt was trying to gain an upper hand on Candi Falconman, her candy coating proving difficult to penetrate.

Iron Grip was locked in hand to hand combat with Pinch-ess.

Electress was still fighting Lady Web and her growing piles of webbing that had begun to litter the ground.

Evilman had joined Hank in corralling Twilight Inferno. From the sounds emanating from the two men, Phoebe had a sick feeling it was not going well.

"Pheebs!"

Her train of thought was all over the place and her energy zapped. She could see the last expenditure of energy and a desperate intensity on Max's face as he tried to deflect the next attack, but it was no use. A sphere hit her full blast. She crashed to the ground feeling like her entire body was split in half. She lay in agony, the cacophony around her going silent but still moving like a movie that had lost its sound. She saw Max scream her name, staring at her in heartbreaking agony. She was powerless as Max lost all sensibility and charged towards Dark Mayhem, emotion lighting his eyes and powering each step. He dodged each sphere, his Thundersense giving its all, his hands curled into claws as he dove towards his arch nemesis.

No one but Phoebe saw Colosso in his human form step out from under the weeping willow as Dark Mayhem and Max crashed to the ground together. Colosso quickly raised what looked like a laser up to his shoulder, his pointer finger curling around the trigger.

Throughout the years, they had all told Max that Colosso would continue to turn on them. Phoebe struggled to lift her head, trying to warn him, but the effort was too much.

The last thing she saw was a white light before the world went dark.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

:: Max ::

"I'm fine. Now will you _please_ let me up?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Thunderman, but-"

"I'm sorry, sir, but it's family only-"

Max stopped his own argument long enough to see who was fighting with the guard stationed at the entrance to his hospital room. He caught the flash of the monocle.

"He _is_ family! Let him in!"

"MAX! Move, buddy! You heard the man! I'm family!"

Dr. Colosso pushed past the protesting guard. Max struggled to sit up. The nurse pushed him back down.

" _Leave_ me alone."

"I'm your _nurse_."

"And I'm a doctor. His doctor. Go away, mophead."

The nurse gasped. Dr. Colosso smirked as the stubborn attendant patted her hair, backing out of the room.

"Colosso, that was amazing."

"My insult game _is_ pretty strong."

"Not that. You...you _saved_ us all. You're a hero."

At the mention of the 'h'-word, Colosso held us his hands, shaking his head fiercely. "Oh, no, no. I am _not_ that...that word. I just wasn't ready for world domination to happen tonight. That's all."

Max laughed, but immediately regretted it. He fell backward into the pillows, but that made it worse. His back was heavily bandaged, a special salve covered the burns along his spine and the burn Inferno inflicted upon his arm. Colosso frowned.

"You're pretty beat up, buddy."

"Just tell me about Phoebe. They won't let me up. I _need_ to get up."

Colosso pulled up a chair. He sat awkwardly, most likely due to the fact that it had been a long time since he actually had a human butt to sit upon.

"Well, I didn't get too close to her room. I like to stay emotionally unattached to everything and everyone."

Max glared at him. Colosso played with his monocle and stared at the Superhero Pain Scale poster tacked up above Max's head.

"She's pretty delirious, but she's alive, so I guess that's something."

"Delirious?"

"Well, she hasn't opened her eyes, but she's mumbling random things. The last thing I heard was something about snowballs."

"Snowballs?"

Max thought about that. _Snowballs….snowballs…_

A slow smile spread across his face.

"I almost forgot," he whispered. "Snowballs."

…

 _"Do you want to hear Whipper Willie's wish when he blew out his candles to get away from her!?"_

 _…_

 _"I'm just going to sit here and have a little Phoebe time."_

 _"Oh c'mon. The school's empty. Let's go have fun. We never have any fun."_

 _"We had fun that week your mouth was wired shut."_

 _…_

 _"MAX!"_

 _"A snowball...in school? How did he do it?"_

 _"How's this for fun? EAT SNOW!"_

It happened their first year at Hiddenville High on Ditch Day*. As the only two students who didn't ditch, they froze the secretary, turned the entire school into their very own snow fortress, chased each other around with snowballs, and ate apple pies and ice cream to their heart's content, each one trying to make the other laugh harder until they collapsed together in a fit of giggles. It had been an awesome day and a rare one when they didn't make such an effort to purposely fight and one up each other.

Talking Phoebe into letting loose was one of Max's favorite things to do.

It was obviously one of hers too.

He had to see her.

"I've got to get up."

"Not so fast."

Colosso scooted forward on his chair. "I'm a dead man walking so we need to talk. It can't wait."

"You are not. The family is going to protect you. You saved us."

"No more of that," Colosso said. He was starting to sweat. "Don't you see? They're not playing around, Max. The Hero League was a joke out there tonight compared to the Villain League. Doing what I did - which I did for my own nefarious purposes, remember - was the only reason you do-gooders got the upper hand. We stopped them tonight, but this is going to happen again and if the pattern continues, it's going to happen soon. And Inferno-"

"Yeah, what is up with her?"

"It's worse than I thought, Maxy," Colosso's voice got so low that Max could barely hear him. "She's not a supervillain. She's worse."

"She's some sort of monster," Max agreed, replaying the mental image of the hideous creature. "And she _kissed_ me."

A drip of sweat fell from the monocled man's forehead.

"She's a succubus. It doesn't take a genius to know that Dark Mayhem's main focus is taking down you and your sister. What better way than a demon who looks like your sister to drain the life force out of you? My great-grandfather fell for one. My great-grandma Hazel said he kept babbling about needing to enter the ice cave. He just wanted to sleep all the time. He even refused to eat. She thought he literally meant a cave and when she found out what he _really_ meant, ooh boy, she sent him packing. Never heard from him again."

"A _succubus_? Well, that explains a lot," Max thought of the intense sleepiness, the monstrous vision, and the flood of hormones and helplessness. There had been a short section on them in the Villain handbook, but he had never paid much attention to it. He felt sick. "Where the hell did Dark Mayhem find a _succubus_? And what exactly do you mean by _life force_?"

Colosso shook his head. "It's obvious that he's upped his A game. He's been laying low and researching. Taking what he wants and leaving you an empty shell to die seems to be high on his to-do list."

Max _really_ didn't like the sound of the 'empty shell' part. "Then we take down the succubus and send Dark Mayhem back to the drawing board. Preferably in prison where he belongs."

"I think we all know how easy she is to take down, right?"

Max sighed. While Lady Web, Pinch-ess, Strongdor, Son of Scalestro, and Madame Mantis were all captured, the rest of the villains had managed to escape. Between those five arrests and the arrests of Mayhem's international squad (Thank you, Australian honeymoon fiasco), they were at least dealing with a small number of villains.

But it was the strongest concentration of evil that remained.

"She wasn't phased by the Confunder Light."

The Confunder Light had been a new gadget of Max's, so new that he hadn't thought of a cooler name than 'Confunder Light.' The light impacted the supervillain brain lobe, rendering them disoriented for up to five minutes. Max hadn't even had a chance to test it.

Colosso proved its effectiveness.

"How did you get the animalizer and zap yourself human?"

"I didn't. Your dad did."

" _Dad_?"

"You've been gone so much that your dad and I have gotten to talk more. Mano-e-mano. When the alert came for back-up, I filled him in on what I knew and he changed me. I stayed behind to find the weapon."

"He wasn't suspicious?"

"He fully trusts me."

At that second, a rippling effect surrounded Colosso. Slowly the form began to cave upon itself, the monocle becoming one with the skin. In less than three seconds, where the man once sat, a fuzzy bunny twitched his nose.

"So, not fully."

"I've got to see Pheebs."

"Not so fast. Max, I'm still a villain at heart. Tonight really wasn't about saving the Hero League. But I do want to save you."

"And Phoebe."

"You."

"And Phoebe. You love her, too. She's saved you just as many times as I have from dozens of schemes gone wrong."

"Nope, just you."

Max rolled his eyes. Determined not to scream out in pain and get yelled at by his furry friend, he rolled off the bed, biting the inside of his cheek hard as he forced himself to a standing position. Head held high, tasting blood on his tongue, he headed towards the door of his hospital room.

"Max, wait."

Max stopped and turned his whole body to look at Colosso. His neck hurt too bad to make it swivel. "What?"

"I'm not helping the Hero League," he repeated.

"Okay, I get it," Max said impatiently.

"But-" Colosso sighed. "But I've listened to you. I've done the research that your sister probably meant to do since the library is her second home, but didn't have time to do while running around doing a horrible job at pretending to be a man-sucking demon. Inferno isn't just deadly because she's a succubus."

Max didn't like where this was going. "What do you mean?"

"I mean...every succubus is also an incubus."

Max prided himself on his intellect. Sure, it was intellect that he hid from others, often preferring to dedicate the time as coming off as a slacker instead. Most geniuses did the same thing...except for Phoebe. Yet, even with his smarts, he hadn't spent a lot of time reading up on demons. Supervillains, yes. Demons, no.

"What's the difference?"

Colosso shook on the seat. "The difference is that once the succubus gets what she needs from her male victim it turns right around and goes for the next target...a lady. After what I saw and heard tonight, I'm pretty sure Dark Mayhem saw through Phoebe from the start. What I didn't realize until I saw Inferno in action was why he would have let Phoebe hang around headquarters so long without stopping her."

The pain combined with a wave of absolute nausea was not a good combination. Colosso took the look for confusion, but Max knew what he was implying.

"I know you never want me to talk about this, but I have to. Inferno knows she can get close enough to you and finish you off by looking exactly like Phoebe. As soon as she gets what she needs, she's going to go after Phoebe..."

"Looking exactly like me," Max finished the sentence. Colosso looked at him in pity.

"You really don't know what an incubus does, do you?"

Max shook his head. He wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"Inferno will use Phoebe to carry what's never been created before. A demon child with the combined strength of yours and Phoebe's superhuman abilities. I don't know what that will look like, except having fabulous hair, but I know it will spell the end of us all."

The room spun. The contents of Max's stomach flew up to his mouth. Unable to get to a trash can, he emptied the entire contents of his Splatburger meal (which seemed so long ago) onto the floor. Wiping his mouth with the back of his good arm, he pushed open the door and stepped up to his room guard.

"I'm going to go see my sister. Show me where she is, NOW."

* For more, check out Season 1, Episode 5 of _The Thundermans_.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

:: Phoebe ::

 _It_ _was a new feeling to wake in the arms of someone, to know that they had been able to spend the whole night creating a perfect world that held only them. She felt his strong arms around her, her own arms resting over his. Her back pressed up tightly to his solid frame. His cheek nuzzled against her neck. Their breathing was perfectly in sync. A thin stream of morning stole through the pulled down shade, casting the first rays of light on the reality of the morning._

 _Phoebe opened her eyes and sighed as her ever so rational mind, the one that had gone missing the night before, returned. She felt him stir, his lips pressing against the sensitive skin under her ear. Her toes curled and she had never hated her brain more. Just five more minutes…_

 _"Max," she whispered as his body shifted. She found herself looking up at him, his arms on either side of her, hands pressing into the mattress, the scorch-marked sheets tangling more than they already had throughout the night. His face inched towards her own until his lips found hers. Maybe ten more minutes…_

 _But then, the scene shifted and it wasn't her getting to bask in the delight of his kisses. It was Inferno, her naked body intertwined with his. Phoebe tried to run towards them, to stop the demon, but no matter how hard she ran, she couldn't get closer. Inferno began to laugh. Each note pelted her like a bullet and she felt her bones began to break. As she crumpled to the ground, her body disintegrating from the inside out, she saw Max's face become an ashen version of its former self, the veins running empty of their lifeblood. Just when she thought she wouldn't be able to stand the pain a moment longer, she heard him whisper her name, the brink of death in each syllable._

 _"Phoe-be…."_

 _Then nothing. She felt the incompleteness, the sheer emptiness, and she knew._

 _He was gone._

 _"Max! No!"_

"Phoebe. Pheebs. _PHEEBS_."

The light was insanely bright. Phoebe blinked against the harshness of it, a jolt of awareness running over her like a cold bath.

"Hey, don't leave me hanging. I just found out they shaved my handsome scruff. I knew you wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to toss out a dozen or so jokes and insults about my baby face."

The light swung away. Max smiled down at her and it was both the best and worst sight she had ever seen all at the same time.

"From all the bandages, I'd say that it's not just the facial hair you're missing."

"I'll make a better lifeguard without all that _man_ hair."

"Your swoosh is still fine."

"Right?" he touched his hair. "It's a sign that we can still believe in miracles."

She laughed at the same time she started to cry. She hurt all over. She felt his weight on the bed. His forehead came down to press against hers. Their tears combined. They stayed that way for several minutes before Max pulled back, wiping his face.

"I thought you were a goner," he whispered.

"Me? What about _you_? You just leapt at Dark Mayhem. What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking if you were dead that I might as well be too."

They looked at each other. Max looked horrible. He sported a cut along his cheekbone and a black eye.

It hurt to breathe.

"How are we still alive?"

Max smirked. _That smirk._ "Colosso."

Phoebe shook her head in confusion. It made the pain worse. "Excuse me? He came out of nowhere and attacked us all."

"What?" Max laughed and immediately winced. "No, he _saved_ us all. He used one of my new gadgets."

"How bad is my concussion? Because I can't believe you're saying Colosso saved us."

"Phoebe, c'mon. He won't admit it, but we're his family and he's got our backs."

Phoebe let that sink in. It seemed impossible, yet...here they were. She took another look at him. "And you're okay?"

"Just burned. Inferno got the arm and the sphere got my back. They've got me bandaged up pretty well and they must have put some gel on my back because it's cold."

"That's because your hospital gown is completely open in the back. You walked all the way from your room like _that_?"

She started to laugh as his eyes widened in surprise and his face reddened, but then sucked in a curse of pain. Max got up quickly - too quickly and began to fumble with the strings.

"Max! What are you doing out of your room? Oh my poor, baby. You let me get those. These gowns never stay tied. Your poor tushy. Oh Hank, look - Phoebe's awake."

Mom gently swatted Max's hands away and began working on the back of his gown. Dad headed straight towards her; he looked like he had aged ten years overnight.

"How you doing, sweetheart?"

Phoebe shifted slightly. She squeaked in pain. "I've been better."

"You broke nine ribs and you have a concussion. It's a miracle you're doing so well."

"Is everyone else okay?" Phoebe was relieved to see her parents didn't look harmed. "Chloe? President Kickbutt? Evilman?"

"Everyone's okay. Evilman got hit with some of the same heat tactics Max ran into, but he'll be fine. Chloe's at Billy's. Nora's there too."

"There you go, sweetheart. Oh, you look so much better without that attempt at a beard. You're not a lumberjack, darling."

" _Mom_ , enough about my face."

Phoebe took a moment to let everything sink in. Her family was safe. Her family…

She was missing something. She screwed up her face in concentration.

Max - check.

Mom and dad - check.

Chloe - check.

Nora and Billy - check.

Why did it feel like she was missing -

"Honey, are you okay?"

She went through the checklist again. She felt like she was forgetting someone that should have been on the list…

"Thundermans."

Phoebe looked up as President Kickbutt walked in, flanked by two guards on either side. She looked like she had spent a week at a spa rather than an evening fighting the world's most evil villains. The leader looked at her first.

"I know what you're going to say," she said.

Phoebe hadn't planned on saying anything.

"We've combed Hiddenville thoroughly to make sure that the villains have retreated from the vicinity. Everything is clear. I want to be the first to sincerely apologize for the failure of the security patrol assigned to your husband."

"Oh, duh! Keegan! My husband! That's it!"

Phoebe snapped her fingers. Everyone stared at her. Her mouth fell open awkwardly. Max grinned in amusement.

"You _forgot_ ," he said in the same tone of voice that he had used when mom had bought him the supercomputer as a teenager. It was absolute glee.

"I did _not_!" Phoebe lied. Badly.

"Max, leave your sister alone. She has a concussion."

Max rolled his eyes and folded his arms.

" _Anyhow_ ," President Kickbutt continued, her formality losing a little luster after the interruption. "We now know that Inferno faked the memory wipe. She waited to make her move, but when she did, she moved quickly. As Max knows, the assigned patrol was killed during a struggle in the park when attempting to get her to return home. As soon as we were able to get all Hero League members transported here to Metroburg Hospital, I personally went to check on your husband."

"And?"

The President gave her a sympathetic look. Phoebe prepared for the worst.

"He's here at Metroburg Hospital. The top physicians have been assigned to him. He appears to be in a...state."

For a second, Phoebe could only think of Billy and how he totally wouldn't get that phrase if he were there. She imagined him asking everyone whether Keegan was in Colorado or maybe even Idaho. The thought threatened to make her giggle. She chalked up the very unserious thought to her concussion. "What kind of state?"

"He's very exhausted," came the cautious reply. She glanced around. "Maybe we should talk privately."

Phoebe didn't like the sound of that. Neither did Max. "Hey, he's part of our family," Max complained. "We all...care."

It was the most insincere thing Phoebe had ever heard Max say and that was saying a lot; however President Kickbutt didn't know Max as well as she did. She actually bought it.

"Very well. Even with the accident we devised, it appears that Inferno has some unknown superpower specifically affecting men and their...libido. Obviously, Mr. Oostergooster didn't realize that the woman he was with wasn't you. Those observing him have told me he's very obsessed with the need for you to be there with him during his waking moments, but he keeps falling into weird periods of lethargy. When he talks of you, he keeps mentioning the need to enter a cavern of ice. Do you have any idea what he's talking about?"

Max started to cough. Phoebe knew that cough. It was the cough of someone who knew something.

" _Max_."

"What?"

"Tell us."

"Tell you what?"

"What you know!"

She saw him look at the others in the room and then back at her. He looked mortified. She knew that face. It was the same one he had made when they first saw each other right after their separate 'birds and bees' talks with Mom and Dad after Billy was born. The difference was that this time his mortification came from being the knowledgeable one. He looked like he was struggling for an alternate plan but coming up empty.

"Max, a good superhero never withholds—"

"Inferno's a succubus," he finally blurted, cutting off Hank. "I'm pretty sure Oostergooster's jonesing for more." Max held up his hand as if to stop everyone, though no one made a move. "If anyone in this room asks me to explain what a succubus is or what I mean by 'jonesing for more,'" he made air quotes, "I won't do it. And I will hate you forever."

Everyone just looked at him. Phoebe's mind exploded at the implications. Dad spoke first.

"How do you know?"

Phoebe watched Max hesitate. She knew why. A succubus that looked like her with Max as its next target would open up a whole new conversation. Fortunately, President Kickbutt spoke up.

"It's obvious that until we can get a better handle on this situation that the entire Thunderman family is in danger. I'm recommending temporarily splitting up and relocating until we can access the situation."

"Splitting up?" Hank shook his head. "Evelyn, there's no way we can split up. I need to know all my children are safe."

"I think it would be wise to at least relocate Max and Phoebe. We need some time to plan and with them being so easily found, the Villain League won't rest long before another attack. We need time to get our strength back."

"They can't go anywhere in this shape. My poor little babies—"

"Barb, we're preparing SupeHeroXVI for each of them now. They'll be back in tip-top shape in two hours."

"SupeHero XVI?" Max asked.

On cue, the door opened. A nurse entered the room, holding two of the biggest needles Phoebe had ever seen. She started to warn the woman to hide them behind her back, but it was too late.

Max hit the ground, fainting instantly.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

:: Max ::

"Well, Evelyn promised it would be much better than Antarctica. She wasn't kidding. Look at this."

"You're seriously going to call her Evelyn now?"

"Can we talk about something more important? We're surrounded by animals that are going to eat me. This is the thank you President Stinkbutt gives me?"

Max held Colosso's cage up to eye level. "Really? It's not like a tiger is going to just waltz into this place. _Look_."

They stood under a sweeping porch of a two story stucco white mini-mansion. Large windows promised amazing views of Mount Kilimanjaro and the African grasslands. It was a perfect 76 degrees. The nearest neighbor was miles away. Max and Phoebe had both bounced back as predicted with the help of the SupeHero XVI. It helped that the nurse stuck Max while he was still passed out. Three hours later, in the middle of the night, they arrived at their African destination by warp-speed transport, exhausted, but pain-free and alive.

"I wonder if there's a pool."

"Max, this isn't a vacation."

"I _know_ that, but c'mon, it's gorgeous."

"Don't you think there's some irony that they sent us to Mount Kill-a- _man_ -jaro? We're screwed, Maxy." Colosso's nose began twitching rapidly.

"You're being ridiculous. It's—"

"Oh my cheese, this _is_ amazing."

Max lowered his arm and Colosso's cage back down to carrying height. He walked in through the front door Phoebe had left hanging open, stopped, and just stared. "Where have you been all my life?" he asked the inanimate abode.

The inside was as magnificent as the outside. Large couches, a huge 3D TV, a state of the art kitchen, and a giant fireplace greeted him right from the threshold.

"You've got to come up here!"

Phoebe's excited face peeked down from the upstairs. Max closed and locked the door and set Colosso down on a coffee table.

"You can't leave me down here!"

"I'll be right back. Calm _down_ ," Max said. Before Colosso could whine more, he took to the stairs.

He found Phoebe in a bathroom the size of his lair. She stood in the middle of what looked like a hot tub for six and upon seeing him, pretended to swim. Max crossed his arms and smiled.

"This isn't a vacation, _Phoebe_."

She stopped mid-sidestroke and placed her hands on her hips. "Oh, shut it. You were—" she hung on the word 'right.' "I mean, this place is okay...for...for conducting official business." She looked out the window and her eyes widened.

"Pool?" Max guessed.

"Big one." She turned back to him. "Where do you think they sent Mom, Dad, Billy and Chloe?"

"Beats me," Max sighed. "But that's the idea, isn't it? We could never tell anyone where they are and they can't tell anyone where we are no matter what kind of torture situation we're put in."

Phoebe frowned. "I hate that Nora wouldn't leave Hero U."

"She's surrounded by other supes. I would have made the same choice. Besides, Blobbin's nearby taking care of the store."

"True."

Max could tell Phoebe's brain was on overdrive. "I say we take the rest of today to just relax and get down to business tomorrow. We need to get used to the time difference. We were awake all night."

There was a pause. Max tilted his head and gave her his signature 'let's be lazy' look.

"Time is ticking. We have a job—"

"Tell me what time it is and you win."

Phoebe twitched.

"No watch or phone allowed."

She made a noise that emanated from the back of her throat. "Okay, you're right," Phoebe finally agreed. Max grinned, holding up his phone. He pressed the replay button.

 _You're right. You're right. You're right._

"Max!" She hopped out of the tub and lunged.

"Gotta catch me!" He taunted, taking off out of the room.

Max had given himself a head start. They spent ten minutes touring the house with Phoebe on his heels chasing him in and out of rooms, quickly yelling out cool things they noticed along the way. Max finally stopped, breathless, in the kitchen. The phone flew out of his hand and into hers. He quickly snatched it back. They dueled for several minutes, the phone suspended between them.

"Are you two done yet? I'm hungry. Max, did you find a suitable lair for us?"

Phoebe finally gave up and Max snatched the phone triumphantly with a smirk. "Room, yes. Lair, no."

"Ugh, I guess that will do. As long as it's upstairs. They'll have to work harder to get me."

Max knew Colosso wasn't a fan of above ground living. Sure, he went outside at home, but he preferred unnatural light and the glow of intel computers. Max knew how he felt. It had taken two months and three different roommates to get used to living in the dorms at Hero U and then it was partly because he got a room to himself. That was the only time he had ever been away from home for any length of time and Colosso had made him promise to take him if he moved out again. Turns out, the bunny hadn't had to worry about it. Cherry had moved into the apartment instead of him three years ago…

Max stole a look at Phoebe. She was bent over, her upper half rooting around in the fridge.

"What's for lunch? Or dinner? What meal is this?" Max swiped at his phone. No connection. Not even the time.

He caught the apple Phoebe lobbed at him right before it hit his head. Her face popped up above the door. "Apples and brownies."

The apple was juicy red with a great crunch. He smiled and leaned against the counter. It sounded like a meal with hardly any dishes - his favorite.

"Sounds good."

Phoebe got to work on the brownies. Two apples, a carrot (Colosso), and three-fourths or a brownie pan later, Max propped his elbows on the kitchen island and remembered something important.

"I've got to hack our tech and figure out how to get us some wi-fi and a scrambled secure connection so you can contact Cherry."

At the mention of her best friend, Phoebe stopped scraping the brownie pan. "Cherry? Max, I forgot about Cherry! What kind of best friend am I? She needs protect—"

"Ahead of you. I called her before we left and gave her a message from you and told her you'd talk with her soon."

"What message?"

"The message that Oyster wanted her to come visit."

Phoebe frowned. "Did he?"

"He did when I called him before I called Cherry."

Time alone in his hospital room waiting for the shot to work had given him time to think. Cherry and Oyster had gotten together and broken up no fewer than three times every single year for the past eight years. Having remembered his bathroom promise to be there for Phoebe's fruity friend, he had worked on a hunch.

"Huh?"

Max wasn't good at finding tactful ways to deliver big news.

"Cherry's pregnant."

Phoebe's mouth dropped open. Max had been ready for it this time. He snapped a pic and watched her blink. Once. Twice. Three times.

"She's _what_? How do you know?"

"Not important. While I was thinking about everyone you would be worry about, I realized that Choyster usually always breaks up in summer. I did a little math, worked on a hunch, and the rest is history. She's two states away from Hiddenville and Dark Mayhem won't be bothered to work that hard to find her. Besides, Oyster moves every couple months. I think sometimes he just stays in his van."

Phoebe shook her head. "You're telling me she's—"

"Yup."

"I need to talk to her _now_."

"Give me a half hour. You can clean Colosso's cage while you wait. It reeks."

"I don't think so! I—"

"C'mon, Phoebe. Max isn't lying. Traveling does not agree with me. You may need the heavy duty gloves," Colosso gloated. "Wait—" there was a grunting sound. "Yeah, that one's going to be _messy_."

"Max," Phoebe hissed.

"Gimme twenty," he pushed off from the island and headed upstairs to the bedroom he had claimed for himself. Evelyn had only given him enough time in his lair to throw a book bag together, but the bag was stuffed. He pulled out some tools and a dozen wires and got to work. Fifteen minutes later, he had a working phone.

"That rabbit is disgusting in every way. I swear he pooped the moment I put in fresh newspaper. How's it going?"

Max answered by holding the phone out to her. She sprang forward, happier than he had seen her in a long time. She sank down beside him and they both waited for the call to go through. Max watched Phoebe's eyes light up at the first sight of her friend's face. They started with squeals and then erupted into girl chatter that sounded like a foreign language. Max tuned out and found himself with the opportunity to just get lost in his thoughts and the expressions on the face of the gorgeous girl beside him.

Cherry would prove to be a great distraction on the kick-off to their lazy day. Talking to her best friend would put Phoebe in a good mood. With all of the drama they'd experienced in the last few months (or was it years?), he felt like they both deserved a few hours to remember what it felt like to be normal. He knew he would have to tell her everything he knew and soon. Their lives depended on it. And no matter how much he knew she didn't want to, they were going to have to talk...

About everything.

"Max did _what_?"

Phoebe was staring at him, but unlike Max's view, in a way where she was actually expecting him to respond rather than just thinking of how nice her cheekbones looked. He blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

"I was just telling Pheebs how you sat and waited with me in the bathroom and told me what the test said _and_ that you and Phoebe were going to be there for me. You're my _hero_ , Uncle Maxy," Cherry gushed.

"Uncle _Maxy_?" He repeated. Oyster's face suddenly came in to view.

"Sweetches, it's Max and Phoebe. Sup Thundermans?"

Phoebe was staring at him strangely. Max could usually read her, but not this time. He leaned in. "Heeey, man."

"Broseph, where are you?"

Max glanced behind them. The room could have been a room anywhere.

"Vacation," he said quickly.

"Vacation? Pheebs, where's Keegan?"

"Who?"

Max almost burst out laughing. Phoebe glared at him before turning back to the screen. "I mean, he's downstairs. Actually, he's calling for me. I'll call you later, Cherry. Congratulations."

Cherry and Oyster both grinned. Max disconnected the call and let out the laugh he was holding in. A pillow across his face and one to the back only made him laugh harder.

"It's not funny!"

Max fell back onto the mattress, his shoulders shaking from his laughter. Phoebe sat on her knees, a third pillow clutched in her hands. She brought it down for another smack, this one to his gut, but he caught it, causing her to lose her balance. She stumbled forward, landing face down on his chest, her hair spreading out like a blanket.

He stopped laughing. She flipped the hair back that had flew in her face. The room got quiet; the air grew heavier. Besides takedown missions, they hadn't been alone like this in a room since...

"I'm going to grab a nap," Max said, faking a yawn. "I better get Colosso."

Phoebe pushed herself off of him. "Yeah, it's late...or early...or…"

"Right," Max agreed with her nonsense. He slid off the bed and walked quickly out in the hall, still smelling the traces of her shampoo. He stopped at the landing and took a deep breath. A heavy thought made him think of their impending talk.

They were in a safe house, but were they safe from each other?


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

:: Phoebe ::

"What's all this?"

"Books. We need to learn everything we can about what we're facing."

"I slept seventeen hours just to read? I can't even see you over all these things."

Max pushed the giant pile of books to the side and smiled cockily. "You don't need books when you have Max."

"Do _not_ use your old college pick-up line on me."

"It worked every time."

"It _never_ worked."

They stared at each other. Phoebe tucked a stray strand of hair back into her braid.

"Max-"

"Pheebs-"

They said it simultaneously. They tried again with the same results.

"Pheebs-"

"Max-"

"Stop."

Phoebe shrieked as her hand flew to her mouth on its own accord, her words muffling. Max smirked. "That's better."

" _Pffttheerrrucccdaa_!" She struggled to get her palm away from her lips. She stomped her foot in anger...right on top of his.

"YOUCH!"

The connection broke. She shook her hand out in front of her.

"You deserved it. Now, will you let me go first?"

"Pheebs, I really need to go first."

Normally, this would have started yet another argument, but something in Max's voice gave her pause. She looked at his face. No smirking. No desperate need to be top dog. Absolute seriousness.

"Okay."

He hopped up from the couch and began to pace in front of the unlit fireplace in the giant sunken living room. Colosso was still fast asleep in Max's room. It was a lovely 78 degrees outside and Phoebe couldn't help but notice the way his biceps stood out from his tank top. He was mid-pace when he stopped in front of her.

"I like the braid."

Phoebe felt a warm flush start at her cheeks and flood to her toes. It was on the tip of her tongue to say ' _I like your arms_ ,' but her defensive reflexes kicked in.

"That's why you wanted to go first?"

Max looked pained. "Can't you take the compliment?"

Phoebe chose not to give a direct response. She couldn't wait her turn to talk. "When Dark Mayhem said I had something of his, he meant this."

From the pocket of her shorts, she pulled out the obsidian stone. She ran her fingers over the smooth surface. Max's blank face reflected on the surface.

"What is it?"

"An obsidian stone."

"Yeah?"

Phoebe smiled. "Let's just say we should have paid more attention to dad's lessons on rocks and stones. He knows way more than just the protective properties of demonite. I felt the effects, but it wasn't until right before we left for here that I had a chance to ask him about it."

Max looked worried. "Effects?"

She tossed the stone over in her hand thoughtfully. "Dark Mayhem saw right through me, but he played along. I was on my way to get this when my boot broke and I decided to go shoe shopping instead of hitting the library. Dark Mayhem sent me on an errand to pick up this stone knowing that I'd be the one to unwrap it. It's what he wanted me to do. I fell right into the trap."

Her explanation didn't make Max look any less worried. She took a deep breath.

"The minute I held the stone in my hand, all I could think about was our 21st birthday."

That one statement was enough for Max to stop pacing and sink down into the chair next to the beautiful, but unnecessary, fireplace.

"Of course, I didn't tell dad _that_ ," Phoebe continued. She looked down, wrapped the stone up tightly in her fingers, and squeezed. "The obsidian stone is also known as 'the stone of truth.' It encourages the surfacing of secrets and suppressed emotions. The stone doesn't take any sides and doesn't place any value on society and its norms. It only helps the holder decipher things for what they are."

She looked up. Max was hanging onto every word. Even with the calming properties of the stone, her heart began to race. Her eyes welled with tears. What she was going to say next was huge. She was tired of denying it.

"I love you, Max. Everything I've done for the past three years has been to safeguard from that, but it didn't work. From that first night when we finally crossed that line, from those sparks, it was a sealed deal. I love you and I don't care anymore who knows it."

Max didn't move. The seconds ticked by and Phoebe panicked. She could usually read him so well. He seemed frozen in place like she had just hit him with her freeze breath. Even the obsidian stone couldn't help her figure out her next move. She swallowed around the lump in her throat. Fail.

"Well, I'm just going to go—"

Like a switch flipped, Max became animated the second she decided to leave. Out of the chair and to the couch he pulled her up, his hand curling over her own still clutching the stone. He pressed her to him, his arm wrapping around her waist. They stared at each other, warm brown meeting soft brown. She could tell her name was on his lips just like his was on her own, but before either could utter a syllable, his lips brushed against hers, cautiously at first. She caved into his embrace; she knew those familiar lips better than any other. She welcomed the feeling of his tongue playing against her bottom lip and willingly allowed entry. Tongues met, playing a slow, sweet game that took the kiss from something determined for breakneck speed to something that was meant to last a lifetime. She could taste the rush of a quick morning gargle and felt the surge of energy rush through her blood as the hand gripping her waist moved to slide up and down her spine.

Time stood still for that moment. It was only from lack of breath that they broke apart. His smile lit up the room and hit her hard.

"I love you too, Pheebs."

It was a trigger reflect, her bringing his hand up to his own face.

"Don't wait so long next time to respond!"

He rubbed his smooth face, looked at her and laughed. "Deal."

He took her hand once more and they sank down on the couch together, thigh to thigh. His arm wrapped around her shoulders and she leaned into him. They stared ahead, both knowing that looking at the other would send them into each other's arms all over again.

"This makes us even more vulnerable," Max finally uttered.

Phoebe studied the pile of books in front of them. "I know."

"Dark Mayhem wants Inferno to leave me sex-crazed and brainless."

"We won't let that happen. _I_ won't let that happen. It's all part of his plan to get your powers."

She heard him exhale hard. "It's not all he wants."

Phoebe had no choice. She looked at him. He refused to do the same. "What?"

His hand pulled back. He rubbed his palms on the legs of his shorts. "Colosso thinks there's more to the plan."

"Colosso? Max you can't-"

"Yes, I can. I believe him. It-it makes sense."

He finally looked at her and Phoebe could see the terror in his eyes, replacing the passion that had been alight just moments before. "What does?"

"Succubi can become incubi when needed. Inferno gets me with your...good looks and then...then it can come after you...looking just like me. Dark Mayhem knew what he was doing. While I've been waiting for this moment for way too long, this makes us both even more susceptible."

A wave of cold rushed over her. Max's jaw twitched. She longed to run her fingers along it, but refrained. She was putting together the last horrible pieces of the puzzle. "Inferno could take your form and-"

"-and you and Cherry would be going baby clothes shopping together. Except, Cherry's kid will be born bald, cute, but clueless. Yours would be born breathtakingly beautiful, brilliant, but demonic. With the combination of superhero powers and demonic traits in one evil little package, Dark Mayhem would have all he needs to take over the world. All thanks to us."

The implications were terrifying. Phoebe felt her stomach twist. " _No_."

"That's why we have to bring Inferno down. We have to come up with a plan."

Phoebe couldn't think that far ahead. She shook her head. "You can't end up like….like...Keegan."

Max made the noise he always made when she said his name. Phoebe sighed and squeezed her eyes shut. "I may have made a little mistake marrying him."

"A _little_? You _married_ Principal Bradford's nephew. Talk about going to the dark side. Why him?"

She sighed again. "Because he was the opposite of everything I wanted," she said quietly. "He was the opposite of you."

"Wow, that's—"

Before Max could finish, she picked up a book and swatted him.

"Hey!"

"I almost forgot the other reason," she scowled.

"Allison."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

:: Max ::

 _Seven Months Ago_

"This place hasn't changed. It even _smells_ the same."

"I miss this place."

"You're such a dweeb, Pheebs."

"What? Like you don't?"

"We're out in the world doing the coolest job anyone could ever have. What's there to miss?"

"Hi, Max."

He knew that voice before he saw her. He stopped in his tracks, Phoebe crashing into his back. The stairs were the same, the lockers were the same, the drinking fountain was the same…

Allison was the same.

"Al—wha—here?"

"What?" Allison frowned. "Was that English?"

"I just—me...here...you...honor…."

"I'm the other honoree for this year's alumni luncheon. I'm guessing you two are getting recognized as well?"

Max blinked stupidly. She was still beautiful and confident, her business suit decorated with pins with messages like 'Global Warming is Real,' 'Choose Vegan,' and 'Save the Texas Prairie Chicken.' Her eyes still had that slightly crazed passion that she applied to life in general.

"Sure are! Fighting crime, saving the day...just doing the right thing," Phoebe beamed, her energetic fists pumping up in the air. She wore a Thunderman-blue tea length dress and strappy heels for the occasion. Max couldn't help but notice that both women had great legs.

"Max Thunderman doing the right thing?" Allison laughed. "My bad boy?"

Max felt himself turn three shades of red.

"For your information—"

"Hello. You must be Max and Phoebe. Welcome back to Hiddenville High. We are _honored_ to have you and Allison today as our special guests."

"Bradford? Why are you blonde?"

The guy ignored Max and smiled at Phoebe. He held out his hand. "Keegan Oostergooster. I'm Head of the English Department and Assistant Principal."

Max squinted. "You look just like Bradford."

Phoebe shook his hand. Max noticed the dude held on for an extra long time, but he had a super limp approach almost as if he was too dull to put any energy into it. He directed a response to Phoebe even though it was Max that had made the Bradford observation. "Tad's my uncle."

Max snorted. "Nepotism much?"

"It's nice to meet you," Phoebe said, cutting a look at Max.

"Why don't the three of you follow me? I'll show you to your reserved table."

The ladies stepped forward, but Max hung back. "You go on. I've got to _go_ , if you catch my drift," Max said, nodding towards the boy's bathroom. "I'll catch up."

"But—"

"The call of nature, what can I say?"

Max continued to get the stare down from Phoebe. He gave a little wave and backed into the restroom. He waited until the sound of Phoebe's heels were a safe distance down the hall and turned around, rubbing his hands together.

"Okay, time to get down to business," he whispered to himself, the theme from _Mission Impossible_ playing in his mind.

When they had gotten the invitation announcing their selection as the year's alumni honorees, Phoebe had immediately gone into 'what do I wear?' mode. Max meanwhile went into prank mode. It had taken a couple weeks, but he had settled on an amazing prank that would keep his legendary status alive. The night before, he had hidden everything he had needed into his favorite stall. Knowing time was short, he got right to work. Sliding into a pair of construction overalls to keep his suit pristine, he shimmied up through the air ducts. He knew the layout of the air system in the school by heart.

Fifteen minutes later, he walked into the gym, straightening his tie, whistling happily. Waiters were just setting down the salad plates and little pockets of conversation floated through the room. He wound his way to the front and slid into the seat beside Phoebe, noticing with annoyance that Bradford's nephew was on her other side. His annoyance lessened when he realized Allison was on his left side. She placed a hand on his arm as he shook out his napkin.

"It's really good to see you, Max," she said. "I'm sorry things ended the way they did with us."

The memory of it still burned. It wasn't easy getting over your first real girlfriend. He put his hand over hers and smiled. "Allison, it was just part of being a teenager. I got over it _fine_."

"Fine? You didn't bathe for weeks and you cried at the sight of lettuce."

Max scowled as Bradford's nephew laughed at Phoebe's jab. Allison squeezed his arm. "Really, Max? I'm so sorry." Her voice lowered a husky octave. "You know, I consider you the one that got away."

With a _ping!_ and a _woosh!,_ a flash of silver caught Max's eye. Phoebe's salad fork went flying. It landed at the next table over, right next to the school secretary. The old woman looked around in confusion.

"Whoops," Phoebe squeaked.

"You're fine. Here, take mine."

"Thank you, Mr. Oostergooster."

"Keegan. Call me Keegan."

Max rolled his eyes, but he wasn't bothered. After all, the dude had Bradford DNA. _Loser._

"I'm in town for a few days. Maybe we can get together?"

Max turned back to Allison. "I'd like that."

"I'm at the Hotel Grande. Nice room. Very organic."

Max had no idea what organic meant, but he didn't care. Words spoken just three months before came back to sting him all over again.

" _Max, we can't keep doing this. It can't be me..."_

"I'm _all_ about organic!" Max said.

"—and the most exciting thing was in our unit on Thoreau—"

"I love Thoreau!" Max heard Phoebe say. He gritted his teeth.

"—maybe after this?" Allison was saying.

"Love to," Max said.

"—poetry reading."

"Love to," Phoebe said.

Max's head swiveled. They both leaned back as the waiters picked up their salad plates and put down the main course. _Had she agreed to go out with Blonde Bradford?!_

"If you're going to keep your mouth open, _Max,_ you might as well fill it with food," Phoebe said without looking at him. She forked a green bean and took a nibble.

"Ugh, I marked vegetarian! They gave me chicken. BIRD KILLERS!"

It was hard to eat chicken with an angry girl fuming about prairie chicken abuse and describing inhumane ways of preparing chickens for unlawful consumption. Max couldn't stop thinking about Phoebe…

"Okay, I need to save it for my speech," Allison concluded. "Max, your hair is still amazing."

"I know right?" Max smirked. Allison frowned. Max was prepared. "I love that you went back to the darker hair." He leaned in closer to her, propping his chin in his hand and giving her a deep stare. "I have a thing for brunettes."

"Oh my!"

The table shook the second the words were out and the water pitcher tipped directly towards the blonde weasel. Max turned to see what was about to play out. Ice cold water splashed all down Oostergooster's crisp, educational standard ill-fitting brown suit pants. He scooted back, his hands lifting in surrender, looking like a kid that peed himself.

"You poor thing! Here!"

Max scowled as Phoebe took her linen napkin and started blotting the guy's pants. After about fifteen seconds of crotch time, he grabbed the napkin.

"Dude, here!" He hissed.

His heat breath fixed the issue in a second. Max and Phoebe stared each other down. Oostergooster looked terrified.

"Before dessert, we've got to listen to our alumni honorees give their speeches so LET'S DO THIS! The pie isn't going to cut itself!"

Principal Bradford's voice was unmistakable. Max pulled away from the silent sibling throw down, leaning forward eagerly. He didn't want to miss the results of his hard work. The grouchy, odd man they knew so well ( _too well_ ) stomped up the stairs to the stage, followed by his stupid nephew as well as the superintendent and four other nicely dressed people. Max counted down in his head. 3...2...1…

BOOM. They all fell like ducks on ice. Bradford went down first, his whole body making contact with the podium and bringing it crashing down upon him. The others went in various fashion, some slipping and wavering for balance for what seemed like ever. Pants split, dresses flew up, and butts were bruised. Oostergooster fared the best but, trying to help his uncle up, slipped completely along the stage like it was a giant slip and slide only to get tangled in the heavy velvet curtains.

Max covered his mouth, stifling the bark of laughter that threatened to escape. But he wasn't done. 3...2...1…

On cue, the mariachi band arrived. They marched from the back, around the tables, and up to the stage, standing there and playing their catchy tune as the school bigwigs tried to gain footing.

"MAX THUNDERMAN!" Bradford screamed.

"Max, how could you!?" Phoebe shrieked.

"That's the Max I know," Allison said with a sigh.

Phoebe looked back at the stage in distress. Max soaked it all in.

"You're right Pheebs!" he shouted. "I _do_ kinda miss this place!"

"Hey, look! It's Max Thunderman! He's a legend!"

Students began to bunch up at the doors to get a look at what was happening. Whoops and cheers came from the youth. "Max! Max! Max!"

"I still got it," he boasted.

"Wait, is that oil?" Allison asked.

"Vegetable oil and plastic wrap," Max confirmed.

"Do you know how bad for the environment that is? Vegetable oil can delete the oxygen supply of aquatic life when dumped in the ocean! It can destroy food supplies and habitats! How could you?!"

Phoebe looked triumphant even as she took a big step away from Allison. Max turned to his former girlfriend. He was confident that he could still get the best of the situation. He pressed his hand to his heart.

"Allison, I had _no_ clue! I love animals. My best friend is an animal. It's just…" he paused dramatically. "Without you, my awareness has waned on the important issues. This..." he shouted above the band and name chants. "This is a sign that our meeting again was meant to be!"

"Oh puh—"

Phoebe never got out the rest. Max knew the second Allison bought it; she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed.

"You poor thing! Living in ignorance is _not_ your fault!" She looked up at him. "I don't think they're going to want to finish this banquet. Why don't we go back to my hotel and talk?"

Max caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Phoebe stomped towards the stage and began to help Oostergooster. Allison tugged his suit lapels. He could tell from the look on her face that she didn't mean talk. He hesitated.

 _It can't be me…_

Phoebe was dabbing oil off the guy's cheek.

"Well?"

The guy was as interesting as chalk dust. Phoebe wasn't going to win with a non-threat. She couldn't win. Max wouldn't allow it. He wrapped his arm around Allison and leaned in.

"Gorgeous, I don't know why we haven't already left. Let's go."

As the rekindled couple headed out, the band followed and the students made a human tunnel, clapping and cheering. Max felt on top of the world.

Little did he know what a huge mistake it had been.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

:: Phoebe ::

"...so really it's all your fault."

"You hooking up with that piece of drywall is _not_ my fault. Have you forgotten ' _it can't be me, Max_ '? What was I supposed to do? Besides, I really just did it because I know how to get under your skin. I never thought it would backfire so badly."

"You didn't come home from the hotel for three days."

"How do you know? You weren't living at home."

Phoebe set the book she had used to smack Max back on the table. She couldn't look at him. "I may have planted a GPS tracker on you."

"You didn't."

"How do two people do nothing but stay in bed for three days?" she countered with a scowl.

"Give me three days and I'll show you exactly how," Max shot back. "I promise it would look a lot different than what actually happened."

Phoebe's mind stalled at the first part of the comeback and then slowly chugged forward. She rolled her eyes. Typical Max. "Are you _really_ going to tell me you didn't sleep with Allison?"

"Of _course_ I slept with Allison," Max snorted. "What I didn't count on was being handcuffed afterwards and subjected to two and a half days of environmental ed with the promise of more fun. Let's just say I never took her up on that offer. As soon as those cuffs were off and she went to light an organic monkey butt candle, I ran for it."

"She handcuffed you?" Phoebe's mind took a nosedive.

"It sounds kinkier than it was," Max sighed. "It's hard to use telekinesis when your aim's limited. I didn't get a good chance to knock her out and it wouldn't have made a difference anyhow. The cuffs didn't mind freeze or heat breath. It was like they were made of Thundertanium."

"We're a mess. How did it go so wrong?" Phoebe sighed.

"You got married," Max said so quickly that Phoebe wasn't even sure she had finished the sentence. She watched his fingers curl into his palms. "I stood up there beside him as best man. He didn't have any friends to be in the wedding party so we used all of ours. I watched you walk down the aisle and when you met my eyes I had this crazy thought that you were walking to me."

Max was rambling so fast he was becoming breathless. Phoebe felt her chest tighten.

"Trust me, I could have done something to ruin the whole ceremony a dozen times and I didn't. Every vow you uttered, that first dance you danced with him…that was the day you won. You defeated me in every possible way."

He turned his face away from her. Tears welled up in her eyes at the same memories. She had been so sure she was fixing everything by getting married, but she now knew that she had just been fooling herself. She forced his face back towards her, brushing the tear he had been trying to hide from his cheek. The truly sensitive side of Max was something that not many people were privy to see. He had struggled for years expressing his feelings even with her. It wasn't until the third year of college when he stopped solving things by asking her to knock a book out of his hands. She loved seeing his soul. It made her want to bare hers right back.

"I _did_ pretend I was walking up that aisle towards you. I will _never_ forget the look in your eyes when dad and I rounded that corner. I can barely remember everyone standing, but I will never forget your face."

"You were so damn beautiful," Max whispered.

Phoebe's eyes closed as they both narrowed the space between them. She stroked the hair at the back of his neck and closed her eyes.

"I felt like I had to be the one to keep pushing you away," she whispered. "It was my attempt at getting us through our phase."

Max's lips trailed across her jawline as his fingers slipped under the strap of her tank top. "As someone who denied being in a phase for years that turned out to be an actual phase, I can tell you that _this_ isn't a phase. It's not a coincidence that we've never been able to give each other personal space. I think we've always known, Pheebs. It's always been there."

Phoebe ran through life as she knew it. As the oldest, she had only really ever been without him for twenty seconds. Classes, friends, dates…

"We've crashed so many of each other's dates," she realized with a laugh.

"I think I dated that Cole guy longer than you did," he teased.

His hand played along her bare shoulder as his lips dropped to her neck. She grabbed for the hem of his shirt, her hand sliding underneath to glide along his defined abdomen. In tandem, they rearranged their frames on the couch. Phoebe sank back into the cushions as he settled his weight comfortably over her curvy frame.

"Until this whole evil plot started, I was starting to worry I'd run out of neighborhood problems to keep pulling you away from your newlywed house of drab. You're not gray Phoebe, you've never been. You are a rainbow."

She couldn't answer. It was the most beautiful, poetic thing she had ever heard. She was about to tell him he had just in essence written his first love song when he nibbled the sensitive spot near her vocal cords. Her hand drifted up to relish the feel of solid muscle at the same time his hand drifted down. Warm hand to soft breast. She felt herself arching to his touch. She needed to feel naked chest to naked chest again. It had been so long...

ALERT ALERT

| INCOMING TRANSMISSION FROM SUPER PRESIDENT KICKBUTT |

"Shit!"

They tumbled off the couch, shirts and hair in disarray. Phoebe's knee connected with an unfortunate crotch and Max's progress at getting up was ruined.

"Sorry!" She hissed under her breath as she yanked herself up, sliding her arm back through the renegade tank top strap. She turned to the TV just as the connection secured.

"Phoebe. Where's Max?"

"He's—"

"Here."

Max staggered to his feet with a groan, bringing a pile of books with him. He held them loosely in front of him and took a side step, creating a larger space between him and Phoebe.

"Is everything okay at your locale?"

"Perfect," Phoebe said with a nervous giggle. "Never better. Brownies, apples, bunny poop, defensive training...nothing but normal," she rambled.

"What she means to say," Max said much more calmly (but with a barely detectable wince), "is that we're starting to dissect and examine our combined reports to find the weak spot and get a plan together."

President Kickbutt smiled. "Excellent." The smile disappeared. "Now for the bad news."

Phoebe's heart sank. "What's wrong? Who's hurt?"

"No one. Everyone is accounted for; however, your husband has not shown signs of improvement."

"He wasn't a prize to begin with," Max said dryly. "What's the real bad news?"

As he said it, a large book slammed into the back of his head. He stumbled forward. Phoebe turned, ready to scream and confront the sudden enemy. But instead of a scream, her heat breath activated. In seconds, the fireplace was roaring. The twins looked around in confusion.

"I'm not sure how much you remember from the last time, but the Achilles Comet is once again passing the Earth. During this time, super powers will occur unintentionally and uncontrollably. Fortunately, similar issues occur for villains. The monitor will provide a countdown until the comet passes your area. I want you to remain in the safe house. Do not venture outside."

"All we have to do is stay no farther than three feet of each other and our powers balance," Phoebe remembered. She doused the fire with her freeze breath and stepped closer to Max. Max smirked.

"I know this is a bad time for this, but on the positive side it is a perfect time to continue your analysis. I'll be checking in again soon. President Kickbutt OU—"

Her message was cut short as her own powers short-circuited. Phoebe wasn't sure, but she had a feeling the president's assistant had just been kick-butted. The screen flickered and the countdown appeared. Phoebe gasped.

"Three _days_? That's way longer than last time! What—"

Her question was cut short. Max pulled off his shirt and let it fall to the ground. He closed the small distance between them and lifted her up against him.

"What about our analysis?"

"I'm analyzing _something_."

"Didn't I injure you back there?"

"I rebound quickly."

Her legs tightened around his hips, her arms locking around his neck. His eyes danced as she looked down upon his hungry face.

"So, I have this idea..."

"Does it involve environmental ed?" Phoebe asked breathlessly. Max laughed; Phoebe captured the sound with a kiss.

"Hey! What—"

A blast of cold air hit Colosso. The frozen bunny stared blankly ahead, his mouth frozen open. Phoebe smiled innocently. Max grinned.

"He's our chaperone," he teased.

"I'm blaming the comet. It was an accident. I'm innocent."

"Are you Pheebs? _Are you?_ "

It was Phoebe's turn to smirk. She shimmied down him slowly, watching his eyes darken in the process.

"I dare you to find out."

"I vaguely remember," he mused. She grabbed his hands, backing up towards the stairs.

"Vaguely won't do. Let's refresh your memory."


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

:: Max ::

"He's going to be angry."

"No he won't because we won't _tell_ him he's been this way for three days."

"Technically it was three and a half."

Phoebe wrinkled her nose. "We don't have to be _technical_ ," she teased. Max planted a kiss on her cheek as she stroked his arms, snuggling closer. Colosso stared at them from his cage. They stared back from the comfort of the bed, neither moving.

"I like this staying in bed thing."

"I like this staying in bed with you thing," Max stretched. Phoebe sat up slowly, letting the sheet fall away from her. Max had memorized the curve of her back.

He had memorized every inch.

"I dislike the getting out of bed thing," Max said.

"You get the bunny," she whispered in his ear. "I'll meet you downstairs."

She brushed a kiss against his lips as she slipped out of the bed. At the doorway, she motioned for her clothes.

"Comet's passed," she smiled.

"Shame," Max grinned. She turned and he took in the sight of her walking away.

Max wanted to stop time. Things were perfect and he knew what happened when the universe gave him perfection. Something would happen and they would have to go back to the routine of denying, bickering (okay, so that would never change), and hurting each other.

Without her beside him, the negative thoughts threatened to wash away the happiness. Refusing to give in to it, he rolled out of bed and slipped into his wrinkled clothes from days before. With one quick breath, he unfroze Colosso.

"-are you-hey, how'd I get up here? Max, did you freeze me?"

"Buddy, it was an accident. The Achilles Comet passed by and powers went haywire. I thawed you the second it was safe to do so without turning you into braised rabbit."

"I can tell you've spent way too much time in her force field. That was a horrible lie. I'm your best friend. You've got a stupid grin on your face that I've only seen when you-"

"Don't say it."

"Well, if it's for good this time, you two are going to have to be the ones to figure out how to say it. I won't say anything as long as you promise to make me your kids' godfather."

"I'm not having kids," Max said even as he had a vision of a little boy so cute he would give Chloe a run for her money. The vision quickly turned to a cute, but red-eyed demonic kid about to destroy the world.

"We've got to get back to work," Max said more to himself than Colosso.

"I'm not the one who asked to be frozen! What's the plan?"

ALERT ALERT

| INCOMING TRANSMISSION FROM SUPER PRESIDENT KICKBUTT |

"Stinkbutt again?"

"Shut up, Colosso. Stay."

Max ran to the door.

"Stay? You haven't fed me in three days!"

Max ignored him. He took the stairs two at a time down to the living room, skidding to a stop just before President Kickbutt appeared on the Thundermonitor.

"Max, where's Phoebe?"

"Right here!"

Max felt her before he saw her. She had her damp hair wrapped up in a towel. He was surprised to see her in one of his black band shirts. It looked amazing with the tiny shorts…

"Max, wasn't that what you were wearing the last time we talked?"

"I packed really light," he answered quickly, trying and failing to smooth out the wrinkles.

"I hope you at least remembered deodorant. Anyhow, as you both know, the comet has passed. Villain activity is picking up. Last night, there was a breakout at Metroburg Prison. Strongdor and Destructo escaped."

"Destructo?"

Max saw Phoebe's face pale. He had no doubt that she was thinking back to Hawaii and her last meeting with Dark Mayhem's robotic sidekick.

"At this point in time, we don't believe that he has a body to go to. That makes him weaker. What progress have you made?"

 _Silence_. Max waited for Phoebe to jump in with something, but it didn't happen. She was leaving it to him. _Great_.

"Still working on it," he finally said. "We do know that the plan needs to involve catching and bringing down Twilight Inferno first and then going after Dark Mayhem. They're too strong together and I feel Inferno is going to be the harder one to take down since we know more about Dark Mayhem's weaknesses."

"That's it? I was pretty sure that was a given."

"That's it so far, Evelyn. Even geniuses get stumped once in awhile."

President Kickbutt rolled her eyes. "Twenty-four hours, Thundertwins. I expect a much better plan in twenty-four hours. President Kickbutt OUT."

The Thundermonitor sank down.

"We wasted time," Phoebe whined, her A student coming out to beat her up. She grabbed for the books that hadn't moved from the table in three and a half days.

"We did _not_ waste time," Max argued. He grabbed a couple more from the table. "We're smart. We're _more_ than smart. We can do this. It's good not to be so fast _all_ the time."

Phoebe's lips twitched. She yanked off the towel and shook out her hair, gathering it back into a ponytail. "You make a point."

"There's got to be something here. _History of Superheroes Volume 1, Tenets of Telekenesis, Dark Mayhem: Daft or Deadly?_ "

"How about _Curing Crime with Chemistry_?"

Max snickered. "Bottom of the pile."

"Why?" Phoebe opened the thin volume and flipped. "Getting stains out of super suits, deactivating bombs with corrosion—"

"Not helping!" Max tossed his first choices and grabbed for another thin book, _Of Masks and Mirrors_.

"Hello? You freeze me and then starve me? You two are irresponsible pet owners. I'm calling ASPCA. Woman, get me something."

Phoebe's head snapped up. " _Excuse me?_ "

Max held up his hand before fur could start flying. "I got this one."

Colosso had managed to hop into the kitchen. His tail twitched as Max walked towards him.

"I could go for a nice juicy hamburger right now. Or some lightly seasoned crisp green—"

"Here we go."

Colosso recoiled in disgust as the succotash slid from the nondescript metal can into a small brown bowl.

"Why you doing me like this, bro?"

Max leaned down close to his sarcastic friend. "Unless you want to be Phoebe's new winter hat, I don't think you should ever call her _Woman_ again."

"Gotcha. So what's for dinner?"

Max tapped him on the nose. "You're looking at it."

"Noooo!"

"MAX!"

Ignoring Colosso's wails, Max rushed back to the living room. He was sure he was going to find Destructo stomping in. Instead, he got a book shoved up his nose.

"Look at this!"

"I can't see it, I can just smell it! And for the record, it smells disgusting. Back your pages up."

"Sorry, I got excited. Listen to this…" Phoebe began reading, her voice shaking. "When dealing with demonic beings, super powers and other magical abilities tend to be the only weapons needed to destroy such entities."

"Wrong," Max interrupted.

"Wait, _listen._ Only a select few demonic beings require more extensive tools. Take, for example, the succubus. The succubus can mimic a person's being to destroy another. When a succubus mimic's a superhero, some, but not all, of the powers can be seen during combat."

"The heat breath," Max realized. "And your awesome flexibility."

Phoebe continued. "One of the other ways to destroy a succubus is by utilizing silver colloidal."

She stopped reading.

"And?"

"That's it."

Max grabbed the smelly stained book.

"That's it? How helpful is that? What do we do with silver colloidal?"

"It's a start! And to think you laughed at me for choosing that book," she snorted. "It's got to be better than _Of Masks and Mirrors_." She motioned to the book that he had taken to the kitchen and back.

"For your information, Fee-bay," he said, accentuating her name in pure Valley Girl. He dropped the chemistry book and opened the one she was mocking. "There's a great section on—"

He flipped through the book. He didn't have a clue, but he hated admitting she found something better than—

"HERE!" He shouted. Luck was on his side. Phoebe looked doubtful. Max held up a finger.

"Listen to this…" he took a breath. "The concept of the mirror harkens from man's awareness of reflection in rivers and streams. The first mirrors were created some six thousand years ago out of obsidian glass."

They shared a look. Max kept reading.

"The concepts of the soul are often associated with mirrors. While most useful for the vainest of villains, a mirror can also assist in taking down difficult foes such as the seductive succubus or incubus. Once weakened, tricking the being into looking at a mirror will temporarily trap them within. Breaking the mirror, symbolizing their fall from grace, will successfully banish them from the mortal realm."

Silence fell. Phoebe grabbed her winning book back and clutched it to her chest. Max tapped his own winner.

"We still have to put all this information together in a plan," Phoebe pointed out. Max slowly smiled.

"You're talking to the king of pranks," he paused, his superintelligence kicking into high gear. "A plan is just like a prank." The pieces spun around in his mind, landing in a completed puzzle. He nodded.

"Yeah, that would work," he said to himself out loud.

"What would?"

Phoebe frowned. Max glanced back down at his book. Silver colloidal and a mirror…

Yes, his plan would work. He was sure of it.

"You're not going to like it," he warned.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty One**

:: Phoebe ::

"No. I hate that plan. It's not happening."

"It's a strong plan."

"It's stupid and you're going to get yourself killed."

"No, I'm going to keep us both from _getting_ killed. I'm calling Evelyn. Thundermonitor — mmmph, humph!"

Max yanked his hand from his mouth, fighting the force of her angry thoughts. "Not cool!"

Phoebe found herself flipping backwards into a chair at the same time Max stumbled forward, his knee connecting with the coffee table. They both hopped up just to send each other flying again.

"This is what you both deserve for feeding me succotash! Get her, Max! Get him, Phoebe!"

"Shut up, Colosso!" they yelled back in unison.

"Max, it's too dangerous. If one thing went wrong, I'd lose you."

"Are we getting mushy now? Because I just had to eat slop and it _will_ come back up."

"I'm warning you, hop-a-long."

"Pheebs, you saved me from Twilight Inferno. I owe you one."

"We stopped owing each other one years ago. We're evenly matched."

"Maybe someone should run the plan by the supervillain in the room. Or did we all forget who saved you two from Dark Mayhem?"

"I thought you weren't going to help the Hero League."

Colosso squinted at Max. "Don't use my words against me."

Phoebe watched as Max put his hands on his hips, resolve on his face. "Once upon a time, a frustrated girl stood in our kitchen in Hiddenville holding a knife and told me I was afraid of failing and that's why I never tried. Eight years later, I'm standing here knowing we need to try and I'm getting frustrated with the girl that can now only think of failure. You've _got_ to trust me. Thundermonitor, call President Kickbutt immediately."

She was speechless. Her words had come back to bite her after all these years in the biggest way imaginable. She knew he was right, but she still hated it. The transmission connected and President Kickbutt stared into the room.

"Yes?"

"We have a plan."

" _Max_ has a plan," Phoebe scowled. "It's dangerous and untested and—"

"Go on."

Max launched into the plan. Phoebe picked at the hem of the shirt she was wearing...his shirt. For every second of plan he outlined, Phoebe imagined the opposite of the outcome he anticipated. She felt sick. _Really_ sick.

"Max, this sounds extremely dangerous," President Kickbutt concluded when he had finally finished.

"No matter what we do it's going to be dangerous. Isn't that why we're supes?"

The elegant lady's fingers templed together. "You also didn't mention how the plan manages to take down Dark Mayhem."

Max glanced back at Phoebe. She just frowned. She was so mad at him for how selfless and _noble_ he was being. The one time she wanted him to be an egotistical…

"That part comes later. I don't want to discuss it yet," Max said. It was on the tip of her tongue to announce that his delay was because there was no plan.

"Very well. I'm requesting your immediate return to Metroburg. Report to Headquarters and we will begin to assist you in preparations."

"Can we stay just a couple more days?" Max asked. "We didn't even get to enjoy the pool."

President Kickbutt shook her head. "We have the Kilimanjaro timeshare for just one week. Do you know how much that place costs? We're on a tight deadline. See you soon, Thundermans. OUT."

The screen descended. Phoebe didn't wait for Max. She marched up the stairs to her room. It wasn't until the first pair of shoes hit the suitcase that she began to bawl.

"Stupid boys. Stupid Max," she muttered. "Stupid Colosso. Stupid—"

"Hey." His arms wrapped around her waist. "It's going to be okay."

"You don't know that."

"I'm not used to being the positive one for both of us. C'mon, Pheebs."

The tears kept coming. She angrily flung a dress back in her suitcase. "I have to watch you and that demon—"

"Barely a second. That's where you come in. I can't do both parts of the plan."

"And if I screw up, you're dead."

Max pressed his lips into her hair. "You won't. Besides, once this is over, do you know what a long vacation we're going on? I'm stealing you away. We could come back here or wherever you want."

Phoebe sniffled. "With ice cream? I really want ice cream."

"Ice cream? Sure. Ice cream, no responsibilities. Just us."

 _Us_. It was a beautiful word.

"Besides, if I die then you can vacation with my ghost. It's a win-win."

She let out a gasp. Before she started to yell at him all over again, his lips brushed her cheek and he headed out the door to his room.

"Stupid Max," she muttered.

Two hours later their warp speed transportation (aka van) sat parked outside like a dog that had been called back home. Phoebe climbed in slowly. She felt emotionally exhausted already. Max followed with Colosso.

"Maybe Phoebe's right, Maxy," the rabbit said, his back legs kicking at his bedding. "If the plan fails, I'm gonna be an orphan."

"Pheebs will take care of you. Right Pheebs?"

She just stared at him; so did the bunny. Max sighed.

"To Metroburg!"

Phoebe was sucked to her seat as the van took off. Her eyeballs felt like they were going to explode. Colosso's ears were glued to his head.

As soon as it started, it was over.

"I hate Hero League," Colosso whined. "Everyone's so _judgy._ "

"It'll be quick. Just be quiet and no one will try to shoot you or banish you to the far corners of the world."

Phoebe followed the boys out. She typically loved Metroburg, but tonight she would have given anything to be anywhere but here. Her nightmare was going to play out in front of her and she was going to have to be strong enough to bring it down.

For the first time in her whole entire life she didn't feel strong.

"Welcome back. Trip went fine?"

"Organ-squishing fantastic, Evelyn," Max assured President Kickbutt. She was flanked by two assistants.

"Terrific."

The six humans and the bunny entered Hero League. They made their way down halls lined with portraits of historical superheroes.

"We have the IV ready for you. It should take about four hours on the drip. It's the strongest silver colloidal available."

Max froze. Phoebe ran right into him. He laughed uneasily.

"I—-I—-IV? Tha-that u-usually requires a….a…"

"Needle," Phoebe finished. She smiled as hope rushed through her. Max hated needles. He fainted at needles. There was no way he would actually sit with a needle in his arm for hours.

"How about a pill? Or a liquid?"

"IV is the only way to make sure it's fully spread throughout your bloodstream."

Phoebe saw Max pale at the word 'blood.' She was already prepared to stop his faint fall.

"Okay. Let's just get it over with."

" _What?!_ "

Max looked at her. "We both have to do and see things we don't want to tonight," he said shakily. It was the first time since he had rambled the plan that she saw the nerves. Oddly, it calmed her own. She wanted to be strong for him.

"Let's hope there's a _Best Chefs Forever_ marathon," she joked as they headed down the drab cement hallway to the experimental medical wing. "It'll make the four hours fly by."

Max groaned. "That's the _first_ thing I don't want to do and see tonight. I hate that show."

" _Best chefs forever….ooooooo!_ " Colosso sang.

"Don't make me turn you over to the Iron Skillet," Max grumbled.

"No _Best Chefs Forever._ Got it," Colosso said meekly.

"Here we are."

The room was bright white and sterile. Tubes full of glittery liquid stretched from floor to ceiling. In the middle of the room was a bright blue padded chair with an IV stand next to it.

Phoebe heard Max audibly gulp.

"Still time to back out."

"I-I-It's fine."

He handed Colosso over to Phoebe. "Psst," Colosso hissed. She lifted him up.

"When he passes out we're still going to watch _Best Chefs Forever_ aren't we?"

Phoebe couldn't help but laugh. Occasionally Colosso got it right. She scratched him between the ears.

"You better believe it."


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty Two**

:: Max ::

"It can't happen there. How do you know she's there?"

"The Hero League has the house on top priority monitoring. They've been having a fake Max go in and out daily. Yesterday, unusual activity registered from within. Obviously there's something in my lair of interest."

"Then we wait and do it somewhere else."

"I can't wait. My blood's been pumped full of silver colloidal. I need to do this while I'm heavily protected. Besides, that disguise of yours took forever. Have I mentioned how disturbing you look?"

Phoebe looked at him from beneath layers of heavy makeup. She looked like a much taller version of Mrs. Wong. Her Splatburger uniform was covered in greasy, barbecue stains.

"I almost broke the mirror when I saw myself," Phoebe shivered. Max took a deep breath. They were nearing the neighborhood. He turned to take a look in the back of the Thundervan to make sure the large mirror that had been carefully wrapped and placed was still safe.

"The disguise is good, but if they sense your power..."

"Why does Colosso get to go in?"

"I'm the backup plan in case you screw up flamingo legs," Colosso said happily, bunny butt bouncing. "I knew I'd get promoted to sidekick someday."

"You're _not_ a sidekick," Phoebe argued. "And I won't screw up. I don't screw up."

Phoebe made a quick swipe behind her shoulder and Max was sure Colosso was going to get it. Instead, the mirror started to topple. Max flew over the front seat and grabbed it right before it hit the ground.

"What was _that_?"

Phoebe froze, staring at her hand. "I don't know…"

Max didn't have enough time to start worrying. The van started to slow.

"You've arrived at your destination."

The doors to the Thundervan slid open.

"Stay here. Give me and Colosso a head start."

"Max, wait—"

He leaned in close. "We'll be fine if we stick to the plan."

"Uh excuse me, but I will be scarred for life if you kiss her looking like Wong," Colosso complained. "Kissing her normal face is bad enough."

"Shut up, Colosso," Max said. He scooped up the rabbit. He reached out a hand and squeezed Phoebe's shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Before he could see her begin to cry off the makeup, Max hopped out of the van. The driveway was just their typical driveway. The back door was just their typical back door.

The biggest difference was the darkness and silence. The Thunderman house had never been so still.

"I wish you had the animalizer," Colosso whispered as Max crept along the side of the house. "It's going to be hard to save the day without thumbs."

"I need you small and able to hide in small spaces. Now be quiet."

Max crouched next to the window leading down to his lair. The blue light from the room reflected off the glass. He put Colosso down beneath a branch of the hydrangea bush, closed his eyes, and concentrated.

His Thundersense told him she was in there. Waiting. His pulse picked up and he wondered whether it was adrenaline, nerves, or the silver colloidal running through his veins. Deciding it was probably a mixture of all three, he yanked the window open, turned, and dropped down.

He knew every inch of his room inside and out. He also knew when someone invaded his space. He felt her before he saw her.

"You've proved to be very difficult Maxy. Welcome home."

He turned, slowly sliding down the rocks. Inferno watched him from his bed, clad in only a bra and panties, a hungry look in her crimson eyes.

"Where is she?"

"Who?"

"You know," she smiled, leaning forward into a pouncing crouch. "Your sister has a jealous streak. I don't think she likes me very much."

The demon laughed. Max felt himself breaking out into a sweat, but it was a welcomed reaction. He steeled his courage.

"Maybe it has something to do with you making her husband more brainless than he already was."

She laughed again. "It was too easy. Unlike you, ThunderBoy. You have given me a challenge, but that ends...tonight."

Like a cat, she jumped up and headed directly towards him. Max was ready. He sent his freeze breath downward, creating a slick patch, but she anticipated the defense. She melted it with her copycat heat breath. He ducked as she reached for him, backing up into the room. He blocked her with his experiment table and jumped upon his bed.

It would have been too obvious if he hadn't put up a fight. As she came at him again, he made his next move a second too late on purpose. He knew she was going to pin him, but he hadn't anticipated the anti-power bracelet that snapped around his ankle. He reached down reflexively to pull it off even though he knew that it wasn't that easy. He fleetingly wondered where she had hidden the object considering the sheer amount of skin on display.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Don't fight it, Max. We both knew it was going to end this way."

"No," Max groaned as she pushed him down. He landed with a bounce on the mattress and scrambled up. He knew he couldn't make it too easy; she would sense a trap.

"It's fitting, isn't it?" She blocked his escape and pushed him back and pinned him. Her face, filled with impatience, hovered above him. "How many dreams did you have of her laying in this bed?"

The familiar sleepy sensation hit him as she began talking. He felt her hands slide across his shoulders. Perhaps it was knowing that there was a plan this time or perhaps it was being in his own room, but he didn't feel fear. He stared at her blankly, jaw set.

"See, this is much better," she murmured. Slowly, he felt his shirt rip apart.

"How foolish she was to trade this for that bland husband," she commented. Her nails ran down the plain of his chest. His breath caught. She straddled him, the dark hair accentuated with rivers of red surrounding him like a canopy. Her lips brushed against his and the world began to blur as her tongue invaded his mouth. His hearing failed and the surprising void of sight and sound triggered the first notion of panic. His heart began to race as only his sense of touch, heightened to maximum sensitivity, took over.

Her hands trailed the line of hair down his abdomen. His body jerked as he felt his clothes removed, hands gripping his strong muscular thighs. He felt her breath and the weight of her against him. She kissed him again and desire flooded him so fast that all other thought disappeared.

The next sensation was pure ice. He had never felt anything like it before, but he knew he hated it. The true visage of the monster appeared in his mind and he wanted to recoil but found himself unable. He tried again and through the haze, his desire waned and his mind focused on one word: FIGHT.

Sound flooded back. He heard what sounded like a banshee shrieking and two other voices screaming. Max picked out Phoebe's right away, but the second confused him.

Nora?

"—-it broke!"

"You never know when you'll have a bow emergency!"

"It's too small!"

"It's all we have!"

A third voice joined in the melee over the shrieking. "Hey ugly-bus! Over here!"

The shrieking intensified. It seemed to come from every corner of the room. Max thought his eardrums would break, but there was a rush of wind and then...nothing. Silence. For a second he thought he had lost his hearing again.

Then he heard the glass break.

His body temperature immediately rose from the freezing water bath he had felt submerged in. He jerked, his vision slowly coming back. He blinked rapidly, trying to focus and took a greedy breath of oxygen.

"It worked!"

"Here's a blanket, Max."

A thick blanket covered with rabbit fur covered his face. He struggled to lift his arms to pull it away. They felt like two solid pillars of cement.

"Phoebe, careful!"

"I don't know what's wrong with me!"

"It's a good thing I was here."

"You? It wasn't like you could hold the mirror with your paws."

"But I broke it!"

"With your _butt_."

"Buns of steel."

Max finally managed to move his arms. He pulled the cover down and looked at the mess that once used to be his room. His rocks were obliviated, two pathetic piles of small stones were all that remained. Posters dangled from the last particles of tape. Colosso's cage door hung on one last hinge. Nora and Colosso were arguing next to a rocket that had imploded unto itself.

"Max!"

Phoebe rushed at him and he grabbed onto her to keep her from falling. Even though she still wore the Splatburger uniform, the disturbing Wong makeup was almost completely gone. She was the warmest, most welcomed thing he had ever held. He touched her face as her hands ran through his hair.

Her kiss chased away the last vestige of cold.

"Well, this is different...and weird."

Phoebe slowly pulled away. They turned to look at Nora. She crossed her arms, her lips curving into a smirk. Even though she wore her trademark bow, any trace of little girl was long gone. Unlike Billy, Nora could quickly analyze a situation and react.

"This also clears up a lot of questions. And to think Mom and Dad were worried about Billy and me," Nora laughed.

Before Max could think of anything to say, Colosso went flying through the air and out the window. "Heeeeeeyyyyyyyy!"

Simultaneously, the hatch to the lair slide began to open and close uncontrollably.

"Not again!" Phoebe cried.

"Again?"

"I think you both need a Thunderscan," Nora said. "Wait—"

Before Nora could finish her thought, Phoebe doubled over in his arms. Max tightened his grip on her. "Phoebe, what happened with the mirror?"

"I took care of the mirror," Nora said, rushing over. "Her powers have been going haywire even before we captured that _thing_. It reminded me of the time that—"

"AAAHHHH!"

Nora jumped back as a stream of heat escaped Phoebe's mouth. "I'll go get the portable scan!"

"Pheebs, what's wrong?"

His hand ran along her back as the other on her hip kept her purposefully close to him.

"I don't know, it's just... _oohhhhh_."

He never would have believed it if he hadn't felt it. Her abdomen began to stretch against his hand, pressing forward and expanding rapidly.

"Max, I know these signs. I think Phoebe's—"

Colosso had slipped back through the window. He was in the process of limp-hopping up on the bed when a random torrent of freeze breath turned him into a bunny-sicle. Max looked down at the swollen belly in shock, jumping as it _moved_. Slowly, he sent a breath of heat Colosso's way. Colosso did a full body shake, kicking out his back leg.

"Pregnant. Definitely pregnant."

Max remembered his dad going into a dead faint at the same news. A mixture of emotion washed over him. _Pregnant._ Colosso wound his way up to his best friend.

"See what happens when you freeze me for days? You better get some clothes on. Things are about to get even _more_ exciting today, _pops_."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty Three**

:: Phoebe ::

The sight of Twilight Inferno and Max together was forever embedded in memory. The lithe naked body, the glowing triumphant eyes, and Max's skin paling as they joined together was the worst pain Phoebe thought she would ever feel.

Little did she know that pain would be usurped by the daggers of contractions slicing through her abdomen just an hour later.

She had almost screwed everything up. Her powers had gone wonky, the mirror flew out of her own hands before she could even get Inferno to look. If Nora hadn't shown up with her little but effective mirror, things would have turned out so differently.

"I really need to come home more often. Taking down a vain naked demon Phoebe, seeing a game of 'Toss Dr. Colosso,' and getting a new niece or nephew! You guys know how to make a girl miss her family."

Nora squeezed her hand just as Phoebe felt another wave of agony. Objects flew through the room, blocked from hitting all of them only thanks to Nora's laser aim. Phoebe screamed. She wanted it to stop. She needed it to stop.

"Pheebs, you're not breathing. You need to—"

Max let out a shriek. Phoebe concentrated with all her might.

A baby. She couldn't have a _baby_. Sure she'd woken up feeling off on day three of Comet Lockdown and the feeling had never really left, but they couldn't have really made a—

"I'm back!"

Max's exhausted face came into her field of vision. His lip was cut and his hair pointed in every direction. The clothes he had just put on were already filthy.

"Wha—"

"You keep sending me flying up the slide and into the wall upstairs," he gasped as he climbed up on the bed, settling behind her and rubbing her shoulders. "Good news is I haven't hit my—"

Before he could finish, a contraction started things up all over again. This time she heard the telltale swoosh of a body on the slide and then a horrible thunk.

"He needs the helmet," Nora said. "Otherwise he's going to end up like Billy."

Phoebe heard feet staggering on stair steps.

"D-D-Dr. Colosso, h-h-h much longer?"

Phoebe stopped screaming long enough to grab a chunk of mattress and squeeze with all her might. She looked up at Max, practically growling.

"No bunny...is seeing my—"

Colosso appeared behind Max. Gray hair. Monocle. Wearing scrubs. And gloves.

He was human.

"Didn't dad ever tell you? He turned him human temporarily to deliver Chloe."

Phoebe squeezed her eyes shut. "Even. Wors—- _ahhhhhhhh_!"

"I'll pretend it's the pain," she heard Colosso say dryly.

"Mom knew what she was doing. I don't. I have to go to the hos-hos-"

The walls began to freeze as thick coats of ice covered the gray cement. The open window slammed shut.

"Calm down, Elsa," Dr. Colosso said. "Max, skate upstairs and get a pile of warm blankets. Nora, go boil some water. It's almost time."

"Don't. Leave. Me!" Phoebe shouted. Max and Nora, already in the process of following orders, stopped mid-step.

"Go!" Dr. Colosso shouted. They both took off up the stairs, Nora pushing Max to make him go faster. They skidded and slipped up the icy steps.

"You listen to the _bunny?!_ " Phoebe screamed. Another contraction built up. Phoebe saw Max's entire table of computers crash to the floor sending motherboards and switches flying.

"Phoebe, look at me."

She glared at him. She was going to kill everyone if she made it out alive. How had her mom done this four times?

"That's it," Colosso said quietly. "Just keep looking."

His monocle began to flood with a kaleidoscope of color. Phoebe's glare softened as the pain arching through her lessened.

"See? It's going to be fine."

Phoebe locked the dancing colors in her mind and took a breath. A random realization hit her.

"Your power is calming people _down_?"

"Don't make it sound noble! I've used it for many dastardly deeds."

"Why haven't you used it on us before? Do you know how many fights you could have stopped?"

"Then what would be the fun of living with you all?"

Phoebe actually laughed. The colors were so calming. Colosso smiled. "It doesn't last long, but you should be nearing the end. You flung Max up the slide for a good hour."

"This can't be happening. We can't—"

"Of course you can. Kids make life more interesting. Take it from someone who helped raise five of them."

The colors filling the monocle began to fade as he looked away from her in what she took as embarrassment over his admission. Phoebe's eyes filled with tears. It was the sappiest thing the rabbit man had ever said.

"Colosso, I—"

"Got towels!"

"Got water!"

The pain came back with a vengeance. Phoebe clawed desperately at the destroyed mattress as her body tensed up all over again. The bunny lied. She was going to _die_.

"Nora, I've still got the anti power bracelet on. Can you—"

"Consider it done." A searing sound echoed around the room. "Duck! Incoming!"

The house, once completely electrified for the birth of Chloe, battled the elements of fire, ice, and telekinesis. As Dr. Colosso barked instructions, Phoebe gave up the fight of denying his help.

"Phoebe, I need you to keep your mouth closed!" He shouted at her.

"She's going to kick your tail for that one later," Phoebe heard Nora mutter.

"Max, come here."

Phoebe felt Max's hand wrap around her ankle. She screamed through closed lips, squeezing her eyes shut as every pore of her body drained, drenching her in sweat.

"Time to concentrate on getting this baby out. Supes with telekinesis usually have the easiest time with this part. Max, focus on the same thing - getting baby out. Combined powers should make this a breeze."

 _Leave it to a man to tell her that women have an easy part in labor,_ Phoebe thought as she took a deep breath, held it, and gave in to the urge to push. It wasn't like they could just mentally move a baby out as easy as they could send a bag of chips through the—

As quickly as the pain had come, it left. Phoebe let out the air she had been holding. Gasping greedily for clean oxygen, she opened her eyes, unsure of what she would see.

But it was the sound that greeted her first. A loud, strong cry filled the room. Tears ran down Nora's face, but Phoebe barely registered her sister's happiness. It was Max, staring down at the pink, flailing baby in his arms with a mixture of shock and absolute awe on his face that captivated her attention. The boy who had once screamed through the atrium of the high school how heartless he was (at the same time buying a candy bar to help save the pandas) was wearing his entire heart on his sleeve. He slowly met what she was sure was her own shocked face with proud tears glistening in his eyes.

"It's—it's a boy. Pheebs, we just had a _baby_."

"I've got to go let everyone know! Oh, and get some bottles!" Nora shouted, brushing away the tears. Phoebe didn't try to stop her as she ran upstairs. After all, there was no point in trying to hide a baby. She had learned that years ago when Cherry met Chloe. Phoebe sat up as Max brought the towel-wrapped bundle towards her and perched on what used to be his fully intact mattress. The little one's cries had become a mere whimper. Max carefully placed the baby in her arms, hovering over both of them protectively. Phoebe moved the towel away to get her first good look and immediately fell in love.

Their son was perfection. A head full of Phoebe's dark hair framed a face of familiar features. Max's features. The baby stared up at her just as curiously as she looked down at him.

"There's no chance he's demonic, right?" Max asked.

A tiny hand reached out and wrapped around Phoebe's finger.

"No," Phoebe whispered, her eyes soaking up every little detail of the littlest, yet biggest surprise of her life. "This is all us."

"Ahem."

Phoebe looked up at Dr. Colosso. He smiled.

"I don't usually say this, but good job, Phoebe."

Thank you, Colosso."

He nodded meekly. "So….what's my godson's name?"

"Perseus," Max said proudly.

"Augustus," Phoebe said at the exact same time.

They looked at each other.

"Perseus. Do you know how cool that name is? Perseus defeated Medusa. It's fitting considering…"

"Augustus. I've had that name picked out for years. It means majestic. And he is." She pressed her lips to the small forehead.

Max pressed his lips to her ear, but didn't bother to whisper. "Perseus."

"Augustus."

"Perseus."

Phoebe sighed. " _Augustus_."

"Augustus."

Irritation shot through her. "Perseus!"

She realized what she had done the second Max laughed. "You're right, Perseus it is."

"No fair!"

Max smiled. Phoebe sighed.

"Perseus Augustus doesn't sound bad."

"I like it," Max agreed.

"And I can still call him Gus," Phoebe added stubbornly.

"Gus, Max, and Colosso...The Three Amigos. I like it." Colosso nodded in approval.

Phoebe held the baby to her chest and yawned. "This has been the craziest day of my life. It doesn't seem real."

She closed her eyes. "She's heading into recovery sleep, Max," she heard Colosso say. She felt Max's hands take Gus and the start of a lullaby she remembered her dad singing to them. Her body numbed and her muscles relaxed even as she heard a creak, a crash, and a voice that would have normally caused all her defenses to kick in.

"Could it be?"

Dark Mayhem's voice filled her ears.

"Phoebe Thunderman? Do my eyes deceive? Has my plan succeeded?"

The singing stopped. Phoebe heard a loud cry. Her heart thudded against her ribs.

"It _has_ worked! Give me the child."

 _No! I've got to wake back up! This can't be happening. It—-_

Colosso said something, but she couldn't decipher the words. With the terrifying thought of her child in the arms of Dark Mayhem, her brain shut down.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty Four**

:: Max ::

"Give me the child."

Dark Mayhem held out his black gloved hands. Max clung to the baby, _his_ baby, his mind whirling.

There was no plan. Then again, even if there had been a plan, the plan wouldn't have involved a baby. Max was struggling to keep up with everything happening. He ticked off what he knew:

Inferno had been defeated.

He was holding his son.

His son was not a demon baby.

Dark Mayhem thought he was the incubus.

Dark Mayhem thought he was holding the resulting demon baby.

Behind him, the door to the slide locked. A muffled scream came from the inside.

 _Nora_.

"What are you doing Dr. Colosso?"

Max saw a bottle roll off the end of the bed. It landed at his feet. Colosso froze, his hand lifting from the lockdown button near the stairs. He must have heard Nora sliding down and locked her in to protect her.

His saves were really adding up.

"Preventing any supes from coming to save the day," Colosso laughed evilly. Dark Mayhem glared at him.

Max squatted down slowly, picking up the bottle. Quietly, he began to feed Gus. If he could find a place to hide him and keep him quiet…maybe under the bed...

"Is that why you stopped me from getting the Thundertwins in the park?"

Colosso stopped laughing.

"Accident, your evilship. Viva la evil!"

" _Liar!_ You've joined forces with them!"

Before Max could stop it from happening, a sphere shot sideways. connecting with Colosso and flinging him back into the wall beneath the window. He slid down it, unconscious, his already sore leg bent at an unnatural angle.

"Now where were we?"

Max struggled to keep from showing any emotion that would make Dark Mayhem believe he was the real Max. His fingers tightened on the bottle. For the first time in his life, he understood his dad. This wasn't about beating the bad guy. Not this time.

This time it was about protecting his family.

"Why is she in a Splatburger uniform?"

Dark Mayhem studied Phoebe, his head tilting. Max forced a cold, amused laugh.

"She thought she could save him with a poor disguise."

"Him? Max? Where is he?"

 _Right here dumbass,_ Max thought. His eyes searched the room, landing on what used to be a bookshelf. It was a pile of ash.

"I let her watch him burn," he sneered. "Then she fulfilled her only purpose."

At the mention of the word 'purpose,' Dark Mayhem looked at the baby again.

"Even I began to doubt this plan," he said out loud. He took a step forward. "Now, first things first."

Max didn't anticipate the silver orb. He hadn't seen one since…

His body lurched forward as he saw the glow of his powers suck out from within and fly towards the capture device. Mayhem began to laugh wildly. He held the orb aloft with his right hand as his left created the largest green sphere Max had ever seen.

"BOOM!"

Max pressed Gus to his chest as they went flying back. He landed sharp on his tailbone. He scrambled as far back as he could as the ground began to crack and open.

"Give me the child! You're going home, demon!" Dark Mayhem screamed. "Mwhahahahhaaha!"

With his own scream of anguish, Max felt Gus fly from his grasp. Dark Mayhem was using his telekinesis from within the orb. Max leapt up, fighting the pain and arching his body into the air in desperation to get to the innocent baby.

"Hey, that's my godson!"

The telekinesis faltered; Gus hovered in mid-air for a split second before crashing downward. Max powered forward, grabbing him and teetering on the cusp of the wide floor fissure. The catch had been so close that there was barely an inch of space before the newborn's head would have connected with the sharp broken floor. Looking down, Max could only assume the dissent was a one way ticket to Hell. He caught his balance and stepped back. Gus began to wail.

"WEAK! I should have known the son of the Gentle Giants could never be evil!"

Max's head snapped up and he stared at Colosso. Colosso's monocle was nowhere to be found; his hands were wrapped around Dark Mayhem's ankle, trying to keep him distracted and off balance. Slowly, shockingly, he began to grow.

Max realized at that moment, as he bounced Gus and wondered how this could possibly end well, that he had never really heard Colosso talk about his powers. Besides a paragraph on his cunning and affinity for badly named gadgets in the Villain Handbook, no one had ever elaborated on his best friend's skills and he had never asked.

But Max had heard about the Gentle Giants. Phoebe had read him the chapter on legendary international Z Force members when they had been studying for their college entrance exam. They had been amazing Scandinavian superheroes that had succumbed to the very first plot lead by Dark Mayhem. The book never mentioned they had a son.

How could Colosso be their son? Besides, Max vaguely remembered the bunny on the phone with his mom every now and then. No, he couldn't be related to the Gentle Giants.

But the proof was happening right before him. Colosso swelled in size, a small giant, but still gigantic. The room grew uncomfortably small. Enormous hands reached out towards Dark Mayhem; green lasers seared into the skin in retaliation.

Even with a broken leg, Colosso was strong, but Max could see he was terrified. He sent a look Max's way.

Then he looked at the slide.

He was giving Max time to save his family.

Max didn't hesitate. Still clutching Gus, he jumped on the bed, over Phoebe, and pressed the lockdown button. The slide reopened. Nora toppled out.

"Hold Gus!" Max hissed. He threw himself in the tube, pulling Phoebe in, grunting under her dead weight as she snorted softly.

"Max, Dark Mayhem—"

"Back in!"

"NOOOO!"

A green sphere connected with the wall next to the slide. The entrance crumbled.

Max knew Phoebe was safe in the titanium slide. He reached out for Nora and Gus, arms wide to shield them.

"The child is mine—ahhhh!"

Colosso got Dark Mayhem square in the back with his fist. Dark Mayhem stumbled forwards; Colosso snatched the orb containing Max's powers. It looked minuscule in his palm. Nora directed a stream of laser beam at the villain's knee.

It happened so quickly, but Max knew he'd always replay it over and over again as if it happened in slow motion. As the laser burned through his robe and into his skin, Dark Mayhem began his descent into the cavernous fissure. Max was sure it was the end, but then the villain pirouetted in mid-air and reached out, grabbing onto Colosso's giant cape. Colosso's face registered the shock. Unable to balance on his broken leg, he sailed down towards the hole, the red light reflecting from below coming up to illuminate his face. The fissure widened to swallow him. He met Max's eyes knowingly as he gripped onto nothing but air.

"Goodbye, Max!" he yelled. "I truly did love you all, my family!"

With a scream that sounded like he was being cut in two, Max caught the power orb Colosso lobbed at him.

As his powers reentered his body, his best friend completely disappeared forever.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty Five**

:: Phoebe ::

"—-and that's how daddy learned how important friends are. But then mommy fell from the ceiling and busted daddy's shoulder blade and—"

"DARK MAYHEM!"

Phoebe bolted upright, her heart racing, her hands up in combat position.

"And now mommy's awake."

Phoebe stared around the bright, cheery room in confusion. Max sat at the end of the bed, moving back and forth in a dark oak rocking chair.

"This isn't your lair."

Max looked exhausted, but he smiled. "You're catching up."

"This...this is my old room in Metroburg!"

"Correct again."

Phoebe watched as he cradled the bundle of soft blue blankets. A pile of empty bottles littered the end of her bed.

"And this," he whispered, getting up slowly. "is the coolest baby in the world."

"He wasn't a dream?"

"He's 100% real."

Phoebe smiled and held out her arms, the sudden urge to hold her son undeniable. Max climbed into bed beside her, sliding Gus into her awaiting hold. The tiny little boy was fast asleep, his dark hair poking out from underneath a small little cap, his mouth hanging open, milk dribbling out of the corner.

He even slept like Max. Slept…

"Wait. What happened while I was sleeping? The last thing I remember is Dark Mayhem asking for the baby. Was _that_ real?"

Max stretched out, his arm looping around her back. "Oh, that was also 100% real. Let's see...do you want the cliff notes version?"

Phoebe wasn't sure if she wanted to hear it at all. She focused on the feel of the gentle rise and fall of the baby's body through the soft fabric. "The super _short_ cliff notes version," she finally said.

"Okay, here goes nothing. You went night-night, Colosso locked Nora safely in the slide as she came down with a bottle, Dark Mayhem thought I was the incubus and then he asked for the baby. He got distracted and stole my powers and then used my telekinesis to _snatch_ the baby."

Phoebe gasped. Max held up his hand and she swallowed the ten thousand questions she had been about to ask. "I'm not done. It's still a long short story."

Phoebe nodded for him to continue. Max ran a hand down his face; his eyelids were heavy.

"Colosso distracted Mayhem and I caught little man safely. I let Nora out to hold Gus while I shoved you in the slide so you didn't get caught in the crossfire. Colosso got my powers back and then Nora tripped Dark Mayhem into the pit of Hell he had opened, but he took Colosso down with him. Somewhere through all that Gus had his first bottle."

"Aww, my big boy—Wait, he took Colosso with him? Do you mean…"

Max smiled tightly, the stress evident. "It was pretty dramatic."

Phoebe repositioned the baby and reached out to grab Max's arm. It was impossible to imagine life without Dr. Colosso. She felt a lump rise in her throat. "Max, I'm so sorry. I can't believe he—"

She paused as Gus' eyes flew open. He flailed, his face squishing up. Max hugged her to him tightly.

"Brace yourself."

"Wha—-"

 _Beeeelllllccccchhhhhh!_

The floor shook violently. An old picture of Phoebe holding her first place science medal crashed to the ground. Luckily, the glass didn't break. Phoebe stared down at the baby in shock.

"Was that _him_?"

Max loosened up his hold and nodded, unable to hide the proud smile. " _That_ is otherwise known as a Burpquake. It's a rare superhero baby power. It also means we probably won't be able to stay here. The neighbors below us already aren't happy."

Phoebe was about to ask a stream of other questions when, with a baby sneeze, the picture levitated up and hung itself back on the wall. Max seemed already accustomed to the phenomenon.

"And levitation is his _second_ baby superhero power. I found that out when he saved Colosso from the pit with a sneeze."

"He _what_?"

"Well, as you can imagine, I didn't take seeing Dr. Colosso fall to his death well. Nora was holding Gus so I ran to the edge of the pit and tried to bring him up with my telekinesis, but I couldn't even see him. It was like aiming into flaming nothingness. Then Gus sneezed and the next thing I knew, Colosso was clinging to the side. I didn't connect the sneeze with the save at first. As soon as I got Colosso up on solid ground, Gus burped and the whole floor shook and resealed, trapping Dark Mayhem where he belongs."

Phoebe stared at her rehung picture, processing the information.

"A second baby superhero power?"

Did I _mention_ he's the coolest baby in the world? I'd be jealous if I wasn't so _proud_. He aced his first scan and it confirmed the two powers. That's when I put the whole picture together."

"So his super powers are related to body functions?"

"You've lived with two brothers all your life and you're surprised? I was sure he was going to have some sort of cool poop power too, but let me tell you - just poop. Horrible, nasty poop."

Phoebe laughed. Gus' arms broke free of the swaddle and he reached up for her face.

"Dad said PopPop's baby superpower was the burpquake and that turned into dropping the thunder. Of course, baby powers don't always transition to permanent power."

Phoebe paused in her quest to kiss each little finger. "Dad?"

"Everyone's here, Pheebs. We've been waiting for you to wake up."

Phoebe's stomach flipped. She had just started to relax knowing that their biggest threat had been destroyed. "So they know."

Max kissed her temple. "I thought about lying and saying he was just yours, but I couldn't do it. See, I've been hanging around this girl who really values the truth and after twenty four years it's hindering my ability to lie so easily. Besides, I'd never deny who I am to him."

Max gently squeezed Gus' left hand. The little pouty lips curved into a smile.

"Oh Max, look-"

 _RRRIIIIPPPPP._

The weight of the newborn doubled and the miniscule hand Max had squeezed lengthened and expanded. The little hat fell on the bed. A six month old with a thick swoosh of hair and a little button nose wiggled happily in Phoebe's arms, the onesie he was wearing in shreds. Two adorable dimples appeared in pudgy cheeks as he brought his leg up and stuck his big toe in his mouth, his hands grabbing onto his foot. Drool spilled down his chin.

"Well, that was a growth spurt," Max said, shocked.

"Can we come in? Oh Hank, he had his first growth spurt!"

Phoebe looked up to see her mom's face peering around the corner, her eyes glued to the baby. Dad's face appeared next, but he looked right at her.

"Hey there my Bumble Phoebe," he said gently.

Max shifted over so far he almost fell off the bed.

"Stay, Max."

Max stopped. Dad walked up, his hand softly touching the top of Gus' head. He kissed the top of Phoebe's hair.

"I need to tell you something I should have a long time ago."

"Dad, we—"

"Just listen, Phoebe. And give me that handsome little man. Everyone wants to meet him."

Phoebe and Max both leaned in to give the baby a kiss at the same time. They pulled away and Phoebe placed the boy into his grandmother's arms. Electress walked out, covering the face in kisses.

The room suddenly felt empty. Phoebe smoothed her hands over her old bedroom sheets. She suddenly felt twelve again. Dad pulled over the rocking chair and sank down. He looked at them with a mixture of regret and something else that Phoebe couldn't put her finger on. She didn't look at Max, but she could feel him.

She could always feel his presence.

"You both know we moved to Hiddenville when I retired so you could have a normal life," Dad paused. Phoebe nodded; she was sure Max did too. "Well, what I never told you was that we also moved because I thought I could stop history from repeating itself." Dad took a deep breath.

"But I was wrong."


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty Six**

:: Max ::

"What do you mean 'stop history from repeating itself?'" Max asked. It was typically only during a supervillain threat that Hank Thunderman became serious and extremely focused, but as he sat at the edge of the rocking chair looking at them, he looked as if he had destroyed an entire town. Max wished he could shove a bucket of chicken wings in his dad's arms to get him to relax.

"When you two were born, you caused quite a sensation."

"It was my devastating good looks, right?" Max smirked. Phoebe elbowed him.

"Just trying to lighten the mood," Max grumbled. Dad gave him a weak smile.

"No, you see, twins are unusual for superheroes. When they do happen, it's usually identical twins like the Brawn Brothers or the Elasta-Sisters. Boy/girl superhero twins are very rare."

"How rare?" Phoebe asked. Dad sighed.

"The last set was born in 1870 and they became infamous for being the only superheroes able to take down the biggest supervillain of their time, Infinite Chaos. For more than a hundred years, other villains came and went, but no one reached the level of Infinite Chaos. It wasn't until the year you two were born when Dark Mayhem started to become a potentially serious threat and the Hero League took notice."

"And it took us, the other pair of twins, to take him down," Max pieced together. "Well, and Nora. Makes sense."

"No, there has to be more," Phoebe argued. The room grew quiet.

"Dad, who were the other pair of twins?"

He gave Phoebe a tight smile. "They were your great great great grandparents, Thelonius and Theresa Thunderman. They had one son, Samuel who had a son with his non-supe wife Alice. Their son, Davis inherited his dad's superpowers and married one of his classmates at Hero U, Mary. Davis and Mary had PopPop. PopPop and Nana had me." Dad's voice got softer. "And then your mom and I had you two. You take after them more than I could have ever imagined."

"So you're saying—"

Max was cut off from finishing. Dad kept going as if he couldn't hold it in anymore.

"It's a family secret that I didn't even know until you two were born. The Hero League skirted around that part of history, more concerned with the legacy of defeats and saves."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Max asked. "This would have been good information to know. We've been dealing with feeling like freaks for a few years now."

"Max—"

"What? It might have prevented you from getting married." Max knew he shouldn't be angry, but to him it seemed like wasted years. "I'm going to blame genetics."

"Your Mom and I fought hard to give you a normal life. I occasionally thought about telling you, but how could I tell two ten year olds? By age fifteen, Max was idolizing Dark Mayhem and you two were constantly fighting. I almost told you on your twenty-first birthday, but you disappeared on that secret mission and—-that was _not_ a secret mission was it?"

Phoebe feigned interest in her science award. Max studied a picture of the both of them at their preschool graduation.

"Anyhow, it never seemed to be the right time. When Phoebe got engaged, I buried the thought for good. I knew you'd probably be the ones to defeat Dark Mayhem, but by that time I think you both knew that too. Honestly, Billy and Nora always worried me more. Yet, I think back now and there were small signs like the kissing phase when you were four—"

"Wait, the kissing phase?" Max asked. He had fuzzy memories of being that young, but he seemed to remember things like setting the neighbor's cat on fire and freezing the vegetables he didn't like. But not kissing.

"You'd give each other kisses and they'd cause a little spark. Phoebe, you kept saying 'Again Maxy! Spark like mommy!'"

A blush crept up Phoebe's neck. Max couldn't help smirking. "And to think my money had been on the McBooger side of the family."

"The McBoogers have the cleanest family history of all the superheroes. They really diversified and gravitated towards non-Supes. It's one of the reasons your mom got her powers so late."

"So did every generation of Thundermans only have one child?"

Dad smiled at Phoebe. "Yes, and it's always been a boy. That's why I was so happy when you were born. Your mom doted on Max, but I had always wanted a daughter. You know Mom comes from a large family, so we decided to have a big one of our own. All of you kids have amazing, diverse powers and intellect."

" _All_ of us? _Really?_ "

Phoebe groaned. "That's horrible. Max—"

"Billy's speed is a great asset. His intellect...not so much," dad admitted. "But now I wonder how much of that came from being born at flying altitude and how much came from being the second boy in a family that never had a second boy."

"I'm going with flying altitude," Phoebe said.

"Me too. Lack of oxygen," Max agreed, stifling a yawn. He was exhausted and the bed was so soft...

"I want you to know that Mom and I love you know matter what. We want you to be happy, but this choice comes with sacrifices."

Max woke back up. "Like what?"

"First, no PDA with Mom or me in the room."

"Deal," Max and Phoebe said simultaneously.

"Secondly, the Hero League won't turn its back on the heroes who defeated Dark Mayhem, but Evelyn has already permanently erased memory of the Thundermans living in Hiddenville. As you know, this is a method they only use as a last resort; they'll wipe a cellphone without thinking twice, but your quality of life depended on it. None of us can go back."

Phoebe gasped. "Cherry—"

"Evelyn has an unusual soft spot for Cherry. She's left her and Oyster alone unless you request otherwise."

"And what about us?"

Max met his dad's gaze. "You'll be called in for special assignments, but to protect your secret, you'll be relocated to another city where no one will associate you with the Thundertwins. Superheroes stick together and you won't have to worry about your contacts in Metroburg, but this will ensure you'll be able to live a normal life again in a new city."

"What about you, Mom, and Chloe? Nora? Billy?"

"Your Mom and I and Chloe will be reassigned to another city." Dad leaned in close. "I've heard it will be near you."

As the door began to open, a quake shook the entire apartment. The door shook on its hinges as Mom staggered in with Gus. "I threatened the relocation team if they didn't make it near you," she smiled down at the little boy. He sneezed. They all heard a squeal.

A bunny flew through the room and onto the bed, his back leg heavily bandaged.

"What'd I miss?" Colosso asked.

"Why aren't you human?" Max glared at his parents. He couldn't believe they'd make him go back after saving their lives.

"Maxy, I've decided I prefer the bunny life," Colosso said. "I _asked_ to be turned back. It's easier on the leg."

"Well, I think this is a good time to make a request about our relocation." Phoebe looked at Max and squeezed his hand. "Uncle Colosso should come live with us."

Max grinned. Colosso shook from excitement. Dad smiled at his former nemesis turned ally.

"I think that's a great idea."

"Besides," Phoebe let go of Max's hand to scratch between the bunny's ears. "We can't be without our sidekick."

"Sidekick?" Colosso teared up. "This is the happiest day of my life."

Max reached out a hand to his best friend.

"Mine too, pal. Mine too."


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

:: Phoebe ::

 _One Year Later_

"Morning, Phoebe! How's that handsome hubby and little Gus?"

"Just fine Mrs. Wesson. How's Myron?"

"Oh, he's getting along fine. You'll all have to come over soon. By the way," the sweet gray haired old lady leaned against her fence. "Did you feel that quake last night? You would think we live in California with all the ground shudders."

Phoebe just smiled. "Well, Oklahoma _has_ passed California for earthquakes. Let us know if you need anything else bolted to the wall."

"Will do, dear. Take care."

Phoebe hummed happily as she bounced up the steps of the yellow house, flipping through the mail. She walked in, hopped over a pileup of toy cars, and wove her way through the cheerful living room. The sounds of spoons against bowls greeted her ears.

"We got a postcard from the farm," she announced.

Max and Gus both looked up. Lucky charms dribbled down Max's shadowed face. Gus waved his spoon in the air.

"Mama!"

Unlike Chloe's rapid transition to a sassy four year old in the span of six months, Gus's growth spurts had been farther between. As a one year old that looked and acted more like a two year old, he still clung to his baby superpowers. The neighbors thought the quakes were perfectly normal; relocating to an already earthquake prone area had been genius.

"Living stupor-ly ever after, I hope?" Max asked, wiping his face with the back of his hand.

"Keegan's happy and impressing Clone Phoebe with magic tricks. Clone Phoebe's finally learned a cow goes moo." Phoebe pressed a kiss to the top of Gus' swoosh. "Happy Birthday, baby!"

As a testament to Max's genius, he had been the one to suggest Keegan go to live on their aunt's farm with Clone Phoebe. It had been a perfect match - no chance at clone babies and Clone Phoebe was amused by everything Keegan Oostergooster did. Keegan never fully recovered from the succubus attack; the low IQ of her clone was just enough for him.

"All's well that ends well."

"Bunny!"

Colosso hopped up next to Gus. Gus held his spoon out.

"No—"

"Mmm, not as good as Coloss-o's but still delicious. That's my boy."

Phoebe swung into her seat. Max slid the cereal box her way. They both looked at their son.

"It seems impossible it's been a year."

Phoebe poured herself the last few pieces of cereal. Even the empty box couldn't ruin her mood. "It's been a _great_ year."

The defeat of Dark Mayhem had brought some welcomed peace. Nothing major had happened; their supersuits were collecting dust in the closet. Max and Colosso had started a super successful tech company right out of the house and Phoebe worked part time teaching gymnastics. It was a quaint existence.

ALERT ALERT

| BIRTHDAY GUESTS ARRIVING IN ONE HOUR |

"One hour?!" Phoebe ran to the Thundermonitor. Max followed. "How?!"

"Daylight savings time!" Max called out. "My bad!"

" _Your_ bad?! Maximus Octavius—"

"Hey, you're looking at someone who can get a mariachi band in a school in twenty minutes or less," he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Have faith in Maxy T."

Phoebe smirked. "Don't call yourself Maxy T."

"You like it sometimes. Like when—"

She clapped her hand over his mouth. His arm dropped, looping around her waist. She stared up into his amused eyes. He pressed his lips into her palm. She gave up.

"Mom's going to yell at you to shave."

"I look forward to it, but I'm not doing it."

Phoebe pressed against his chest. "Good," she whispered. "I _love_ it."

Max kissed her slowly. She closed her eyes, soaking up the moment.

"Are you guys going to canoodle or get this party together?"

ALERT ALERT

| PARTY PLANNER ARRIVED |

Phoebe pulled away from Max. "Party planner?"

Colosso's tail twitched. "It should be obvious I have no faith in you. My godson deserves only the best."

Phoebe pointed a finger at the bunny, but then lowered it.

"You're a good godfather, Colosso."

"Mama!"

"And I forgot Gus in the kitchen. Coming baby!"

Phoebe raced into the kitchen to scoop him up from his high chair. He clung to her neck.

"Today's all about you," she announced. On cue, he sneezed. The birthday cake levitated up in the air. Phoebe brought it safely back down.

"Grampy would never forgive you," she teased.

Within the next hour, the house filled with balloons, decorations, and family. They hadn't seen each other since Christmas, but in seconds it seemed like no time had passed at all.

"Max, you look thirty. Shave."

"Barb, leave him alone."

"I got Gus the best gift!" Billy announced. "None of you will ever guess!"

" _Shoes,_ " Nora mouthed behind his back.

"Doggin, don't eat the bunny!"

"That is one awesome cake, baby!"

"Cake?"

"Are we too late?"

The voice at the door distracted Phoebe from protecting the cake. Her face lit up as Cherry stood in the doorway, her handoressed tightly against the baby nestled in the badly worn wrap. Oyster hovered behind her looking confused until he saw Max.

"Broseph!"

"Cherry!"

The friends met each other halfway. Oyster and Max did a weird 'bro' shake. Phoebe squeezed her friend. The baby in the wrap protested.

"Clementine's cranky. I almost put her in this thing upside down. I need instructions again."

"Dude, your kid is like _huge_. What does your family feed kids to get them to grow so fast?"

Max and Phoebe shared a look as Oyster stared at Gus. Max shoved his hands in his pockets. "We got beer."

"Sweetches!"

Telling Cherry and Oyster their secret had been one of the hardest things to do. Max had finally tricked her into taking the trip to see them, detouring their moving van headed to Pleasant Valley, Oklahoma to Oyster's most recent landing spot. Phoebe had thought of a million ways to explain, but all of them sounded worse than the one before. She broke into a sweat as the door opened. Oyster had just smiled at them before turning and shouting 'Hey Cher-bear it's Max and Phoebe with their kid!'

Besides being hormonally furious that Phoebe had been pregnant for all of one day, Cherry took the news almost as good as Oyster.

" _Weird, but makes sense. I don't think any of us think of you without thinking of Max and the other way around. You know your secret's safe with me."_

It had been the best feeling to know she wasn't going to lose her best friend. Now, as Cherry bounced her daughter and rambled in her usual Cherry way, Phoebe took a mental snapshot of the moment. Max and Oyster leaned against the wall, laughing and sipping their beers. Nora was shooting cars off Billy's head as fast as Chloe could balance them. Mom and dad sat on the couch, Gus between then watching his aunts and uncle with delight. Colosso nestled on his lap, a tiny birthday hat perched on his head. Blobbin was wrapping a last minute present in what looked like money.

It was weird. But it made sense.

ALERT ALERT

| INCOMING TRANSMISSION FROM SUPER PRESIDENT KICKBUTT |

"Did your TV just talk?"

"Hey, you want cheese and crackers?"

"Totally!"

Cherry grabbed Oyster and pulled him into the kitchen. Max walked slowly towards Phoebe. Together, they turned to the screen. President Kickbutt appeared, her hands folded together.

"Greetings Thundertwins."

"Evelyn," Max said.

"Madame President," Phoebe countered. "It's been a long time."

"Indeed. I'm sorry to interrupt what looks to be a most festive birthday, but we need your assistance. Destructo has located a formidable body with the help of one of our best agents gone rogue. I need you to report for duty tomorrow morning for a debriefing."

"Where?"

"Hong Kong. Phoebe as you know, Destructo can be quite persuasive in bringing out evil. Considering the rogue agent's identity, it has to be you two to take them down."

Phoebe didn't like the sound of that.

"Who's the agent?" she asked cautiously.

President Kickbutt looked grim.

"Your ex-boyfriend, Link Evilman."

Phoebe felt a mix of emotions. It seemed impossible the sweet, cheerful Link she knew could have been turned. She glanced at Max. He seemed less than eager.

"We'll be there," she confirmed.

"Fantastic. President Kickbutt OUT."

"Out!" Gus shouted.

"Excuse us."

Before anyone could say anything, Max guided her outside, shutting the door behind him.

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Why? Link's our friend."

"Phoebe, he was _more_ than your friend."

Phoebe sighed. "Max, this is what we do. Besides, Link and I are ancient history. Don't be jealous."

"I'm _not_ jealous."

She smiled. His tense body relaxed as she pressed close. "What could go wrong?"

Max laughed. "Do you _really_ need to ask what could go wrong?"

Phoebe folded her arms. "Do I need to go alone or are you with me?"

Max studied her face. "Am I with you?" He responded with a hard, fast kiss. Pulling away, only one word remained on his lips.

" _Always_."

— THE END —

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you to EVERYONE who has read, favorited, followed, and reviewed. This story is meant to stand well on its own, but a sequel isn't out of the question!


End file.
